War as Old as Time Itself
by Yuna Yami Mouto
Summary: Three months after The Battle For Earth,a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him.A strange group of Bots and Cons departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy. TFA AU.Eventual Romance Megatron&Optimus Prime
1. Chapter 1

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Transformers Animated - AU**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

As Haden slowly rose over the great city of Iacon, the very center and jewel of Cybertron's glorious culture and history, the blue optics of Optimus Prime slowly powered up. The young hero stretched his tired frame, once again having spent his recharge cycle in strange dreams he could not remember nor explain. Optimus sighed as he got off his berth and made his way to the washracks adjoined to his room, one of the many perks of being Cybertron's hero.

As he stood under the solvent stream, Optimus couldn't help but snort. Some hero he was! It was Prowl who should be celebrated, not him! It was, after all, the cyber ninja that had saved the Allspark, not him. It was Prowl who had given his life for Cybertron!

Optimus was just a washout, the failed cadet who had gotten one of his greatest and dearest friends killed because he couldn't pull rank on Sentinel to stop his crazy idea and make them both listen to him when he said they were going to leave that accursed organic planet! Then Ultra Magnus gave him a team of other washouts and sent them off to be space bridge technicians and then they found the Allspark and ended up on Earth after the whole Megatron thing and were in stasis for 50 stellar cycles. Then they were called heroes in Detroit and became friends with Sari, but that just put her in more danger when the Decepticons kept coming and then Megatron was revived. Before he could even offline and online his optics properly, one thing led to another, one fight with the Decepticons after another and soon they were fighting for Omega Supreme and a space bridge and then he was flying! Flying! Only Decepticons could fly, and there was Optimus with his little jet-pack, flying! And it was all too easy and all too natural for him to fly like a Con but he didn't care, couldn't care because he felt like he belonged, like he was finally free!

And then he had the Magnus Hammer in his servos and it felt wrong worn wrong, it was not the right weapon, not the right artifact it was just wrong wrong wrong. And then Megatron was there with the Lugnut Supremes and Rachet was on the moon and coming down to Earth with Omega and Arcee and although the Hammer was wrong wrong wrong, Optimus knew how to use it and still couldn't explain that feeling of wrongness! But he could fight, and they were winning! Him! He was winning against Megatron, with Prowl as his only real backup until Ratchet came, and then Starscream revealed he had planted bombs in Megatron's Lugnut Supremes and Prowl and Jazz were doing their processor-over-matter technique and the Allspark was was coming back together and it wasn't enough so Prowl sacrificed himself ad now he's gone gone gone!

And then there was that explosion that would have destroyed Detroit three times over and he and Megatron where in the fray and while Megatron would have survived because of his thick armor, Prowl's soul came and dragged him out of harm's way. And then Optimus was starring at Prowl's dead, gray form and he was so angry angry angry! He would have killed Megatron were he someone else, someone weaker, someone whose very spark hadn't reacted to the Allspark since they found it and who hadn't been brought back by its magnificent life-giving energies, but he hadn't.

He was who he was, he is who he had always been and he will be who he was always meant to be, even if he doesn't know it yet.

So he didn't kill Megatron, said he didn't deserve it and he had wanted to _believe_ it so hard! But he couldn't, not then and not now, when the Decepticon Lord was in Trypticon, waiting a farce trail that will lead to his execution.

Suddenly, not even the scorching heat of the solvent was reaching his sensors as cold dread he couldn't name enveloped him. He couldn't believe he had just thought that of his own government! Maybe it would have been true if the trail was held by Sentinel, but Ultra Magnus had woken up two days ago and he was ten times better than Optimus's old friend ever would be. Yet, he couldn't forget about all those sick projects that he had approved, all the data pads he had read recently that spoke of the time before the Great War. And Megatron's optics had held fear when he said he will be put through trail ...

He was brought out of his musings by the chripping from outside his washracks and Optimus couldn't stop his small smile as he turned off the solvent and stepped out to be greeted by his small partner since he was a mere sparkling, Roller. The white and orange Minicon had picked Optimus out on the streets of Iacon when he was on one of the many excursions while Optimus was still in the nursery care of the military and had refused to leave the building in which the young Prime had been. The only time they had been apart had been that fateful day when Elita One had died and the last 50 or so stellar cycles he had been on Earth. He had been informed that his little companion had searched the whole of Iacon for him until it was explained to him, by whom no one ever told him, that Optimus is MIA and since then he hadn't left Optimus's old room, waiting for him to return. It was only because of him that Optimus still had some possessions and this room to his name and he was forever grateful.

As they made their way out of his room, Optimus noticed that Roller had something in his little, three-digit servos. It was an old data-pad with his name on it, but the sender was not written on the initial page. ''What do you have there?''

As Roller beeped and chripped, Optimus took the data-pad and began reading. He was quite surprised. It was a request from the master archivist Alpha Trion for him to come by the Great Archives of Iacon for a private session. It would not exactly be the first time he had gone to one of those. The old mech had been trying to talk to him since Elita's death but Ultra Magnus had sent him away before that could happen, and ever since his return from Earth, he had been trying to get a moment free with the young Prime. Sentinel had made sure of that, keeping Optimus busy as a figure-head while sending his team of in different sides of the galaxy. It was almost like he was trying to keep Optimus away from anyone who he held dear. It could be true, Sentinel was that petty. But he was also not that subtle, the modifications he had briefly made on the Steelhaven were proof enough.

It made him think who would spend so much time and effort to keep him away from a mech who had practically been his mentor for the better part of his function. He was not somemech important. If someone were trying to make things difficult for Cybertron and their Council, shouldn't they try and distract Sentinel or stop _him_ from special meetings and not a Prime who, although a hero, has no political power.

But none of that matters as he realizes that he will finally have some time to talk with his almost-but-not-quite-mentor and he couldn't quite keep the excitement out of his gate as he and Roller hurried out of the apartment building and they quickly transformed and drove off. Although Roller was smaller than Optimus, the Minicon could easily keep up with Optimus, but it's not like Optimus could go any faster with the traffic that day and he would never try to out-drive his little partner.

Just as they were arriving at the stairs of the Archives, Optimus was surprised to see Ultra Magnus exiting the building with Alpha Trion going after him, yelling all the while. The injured Autobot Commander was followed by one Sentinel Prime and Jazz, as well as the Jettwins. Jetstorm and Jetfire looked really worried for some reason and Jazz just looked uncomfortable, while Sentinel was jumping in on every third word that came out of the Master Archivist's intake and snapping comments at him. To Alpha Trion's credit, he was ignoring the still Acting Magnus and was instead focusing on destroying the true Magnus's audials off.

''You cannot do that!'' The sheer volume Alpha Trion's usually mellow and soothing voice was so surprising that Optimus hesitated in his greeting of his superiors. Beside him, Roller beeped questioningly, bumping into his shin to try and get his attention. Unfortunately for the Minicon, his spotlight was stolen by the old mech again. ''I will not allow it! No matter what you feed the public, I know that you only plan to deliver an execution! And no matter what that glitch has done during his function, you do not get to just kill a mech in cold energon!''

''Even if that mech is The Slagmaker himself?'' Countered Sentinel snappishly.

''Especially if it's Meagtron! He is the leader of a Galactic Council recognized state and know throughout the Universe as the only true Lord of all Decepticons! If you kill him, we will lose favor of the Galactic Council and become fair game to anyone who has even a half decent army, Primus forbid if they had a decent reason to attack us! And seeing as you have been xenophobes for the past three million stellar cycles, many of them are bound to try and-''

''Exactly!'' The blue and orange Prime jumped in again, cutting the oldest bot on the planet during his righteous rant. ''They will try! And they will _fail_ , cause we're Cybertronians and we will not only outlive them, but we can endure a lot more than they can ever hope to dish out!'' He raised his impressive chin higher. ''Or are you forgetting that we are not only the mightiest force in the Universe, but also the oldest race as well?''

The glare Alpha Trion was giving Sentinel would have sent the Lugnut Supremes running, let alone a fool like Sentinel. But the saying is right: Once a foolish mech, always a foolish mech, and fools are not known of being very good at keeping themselves alive. ''Must I remind you, Sentinel _Prime_ , that we were defeated once and only managed to stop a full-blown invasion only thanks to the warframes and some mechs you will never have the honor of hearing of, since our dear Magnus is trying his hardest to bury their memories as well as their legends. Isn't that right, dear Ultra?'' There was an acid so strong in his tone that Optimus wondered how even Cybertron's strong metal plates - that had survived millions of years of solar storms before any lifeforms but Cybertonian had existed in the Universe - weren't melting.

''Now listen here, you scrap heap-!''

But the Councilmech was no longer listening to Sentinel, instead glaring at the Magnus. ''If you do this, the Decepticons will retaliate the only way they can that will ensure no Autobot ever sees Haden as a free mech ever again and if they do that, the _Qu_ -''

''That will not happen, as even Strika will never deal with them, Alpha Trion.'' There was a warning in his tone, but the Archvist wasn't going to let him try and intimidate him. He had seen far worse than even the Autobot Commander could imagine and he would not allow all that he had lived through to happen again. Never again.

''She is more loyal to her Lord than any Autobot will ever be to even Cybertron, so she will have no reservation in destroying those who had deactivated her commander, even if it involves-''

''We will destroy the Decepticons before they can do that-''

''-there are few things on this or any other plane of existence that can stand up to a Cybertronian warframe-''

''-we defeated them once just fine, and we shall do so again, Alpha Tri-''

''The Allspark has rejected any attempt at entry of the Temple of Primus, even the transfer back into the Well. You will not have it at your disposal like last time-''

''-we still have space bridges-''

''We have only a few truly active space bridges and you know that will not be enough!'' The old mech finally huffed, probably feeling like he was dealing with a newspark. ''We won because we stood a chance with all our scientific achievements, including a fleet of Omega Sentinels, but only one of them is fully operational, or have you forgotten that!?''

There was no answer, only cold, deadly silence.

It only encouraged Alpha Trion to go on. ''We won, last time, yes, but at what a cost! The soldiers you send out now are still practically sparklings, for Primus's sake! The Decepticons could chew through them without any effort! If there was ever a head on confrontation like Tyger Pax had been, we would lose not only our armies, but any hope of ever having new generations of civilianframes after our deaths.''

''Um, not to question ya, sir, but we did jus' fine on Earth. Against Megatron and the Cons and all tha'. Only one casualty, too.'' Jazz actually lifted his servo like a sparkling would to their teacher-bot. The old red and gray bot looked at him, raising an optical ridge of those old, old sea-blue optics. Jazz shrank back, looking even more like a newspark. ''Jus' sayin'.''

The old bot sighed and tubbed his forehelm. ''And just what did you have in your arsenal?'' He looked directly in Jazz's optics. ''Or rather, _who_ was there with you?''

Jazz nodded. ''Yeah, I'll agree with ya on dat.'' The two blue bots looked at him, one with true confusion and one with faked surprise. ''Dog, if we didn't have old OP with us, Megs would have lived up to his famed name and turned us to _slag_! I wouldn't mess with that bot if you paid me enough energon for me, any friends or life partner I could ever get three times over!'' He actually shivered a bit, hugging himself. ''If he ever turned evil, I'm going to join his side, because the Universe would be fragged if he ever decided to take it over. And I think Megs would be delighted to help him.'' He added the last as a thoughtful afterthought.

There was silence. The Jettwins fidgeted again.

Then Alpha Trion burst out laughing, scaring the nuts and bolts out of them all and Optimus didn't know weather he should be afraid or offended by the cause of laughter. ''Oh, dear Jazz,'' He began and even clapped the cyber ninja on the shoulderguard. ''You have no idea just how right you are.'' He chuckled again, his old frame shaking with his laughter, although it was controlled now. ''I dare say, Cybertron itself would be very glad to help him out if he ever decided to conquer the known existence and beyond.''

Four jaws dropped in front of the Councilmech, as did one behind his back, but he didn't know that Optimus was there, so that didn't count. Ultra Magnus looked grim but was paid no mind. He just shook his helm a little and smiled at the youngsters. ''I can only thank Primus _and_ Unicron that he has no such wishes and only desires freedom for all. Truly, we are blessed.''

Jetfire and Jetstorm perked up at this and immediately smiled. ''Ya! Optimus Prime good! He helps us with flying!''

Sentinel snapped out of it and glared at the twins, making their good mood evaporate faster than Sari's Halloween candy had disappeared. Satisfied, he turned an unimpressed look on Trion. ''Optimus Prime couldn't conquer his way out of a one-way hallway, let alone take over the Universe.''

Optimus almost sneered in indignation, but he had to stop Roller before the Minicon showed Sentinel that size didn't matter with his species. It was Ultra Magnus that interrupted this argument between them before it could even be born. ''That is quite enough, Sentinel Prime. Optimus Prime has handled the situation on Earth rather well and we should be eternally grateful to him for stopping the Decepticons and bringing in Megatron, as well as returning the Allspark and quite a few lost protoforms.''

''Maybe you should show that gratitude.'' Mumbled Jazz, obviously not wanting to be heard, but was so either way. Alpha Trion was looking him with a considering look, but there was a strange glint in Ultra Magnus's optics.

''Then perhaps I shall.'' The Commander said with an air of someone preparing to trap a long-hated enemy in a very satisfactory trap. The Master Archivist's back struts were suddenly rigid. ''He shall be invited to Megatron's trail as a guest of honor.''

The old mech exploded. ''THAT I will certainly _never_ allow! I will not let you drag Optimus Prime down with you!''

''It will be a great honor and it will open doors for his further development-''

''He will never develop under you! Not even over my cold, offlined body!'' Dentae were bared.

''-and he will witness justice he has brought about at work.'' Ultra finished as if the almost completely clear threat was never made.

''You still plan to hold that farce trail?!'' It was almost a screech. Optimus wondered how long it will take for his vocalizer to finally give out.

''It will be a fair trail and the accused will have all rights to defend himself, with silence if so chosen.''

Jazz and the Jettwins looked so indignant that they almost dropped dead from shock at the POW's ''rights''.

''How dare yo-!?''

''You're actually going to _go through_ with _that_!?'' All optics turned to look at Optimus, who could no longer keep quiet at that piece of information. Sentinel scowled. Ultra Magnus looked slightly uneasy, though he hid it well. Alpha Trion looked both delighted to see him and a little embarrassed, probably at being caught fighting like a sparkling. Jazz looked revealed and the Jettwins looked elated to see him, because he seemed to have inspired the impression that he could stop high-ranking officers from fighting. It's not an all that off-mark impressions, considering that ever since he got back he was stopping one Prime or another from turning each other to slag, or making Inelegance agents shut their intakes or be subjected to his by now infamous disappointed glance that made everyone want to crawl out of their plating just so they would stop feeling it on them.

''Ah, Optimus Prime.'' Here Optimus saluted and answered with a crisp 'sir', although there was no longer any intimidation in his optics and he now always looked straight into Ultra Magnus's own, as if they were equals and not Commander and soldier. Learning what had happened during the war and on Earth had beaten out the perfect 'little Autobot' out of him and while he showed respect, there was very little meaning behind it now. Now, an experienced leader who had _fought Megatron_ four times and _won_ stared back and it unnerved many a mecha, especially those who had known him before his disappearance. Jazz had even caught Sentinel letting out a vent he had been holding after Optimus had glared at him because of some stupid decision when the younger Prime had finally turned and left. And Alpha Trion had celebrated in his office in the Archives after he had caught _Councilmecha_ standing to automatically salute the red and blue Prime when he had once barged into the Council chamber, enraged that they had tried to experiment on the Starscream clones. His fury that day had been so palpable that the old mech had almost _believed_ ... but he knew he was being silly and that a lot _more_ would be needed to-

''What brings you here, old buddy, old pal?'' The poison in Sentinel's voice could rival Blackarachnia's, but Optimus didn't even flinch. 'Good mech' thought Trion fondly, despite his previous train of thought being interrupted by Sentinel.

''Actually, I have called him here. I had not anticipated that I would be visited by you, so I had wanted to get Optimus's opinion of Earth, any of its history and culture that he had learned so we could catalog another potential ally.'' He answered, not even reseting his optics at the blatant lie. He just wanted to visit with his little almost-protoge.

''And just why would you need tha-'' Sentinel's comment was stopped in its tracks when Roller came up next to Optimus and the Jettwins actually squeaked in delight.

''A MINICON!''

Roller only reset his yellow optics on them, beeping in greeting.

''So cute!''

''I thought they only in Trypticon-''

''What's his designation-''

''Is it true they lift over seven times their body mass-''

''Is it true that they are walking lie detectors and personality judges?'' The last question came from Jazz as he squatted by the twins, who were fawning all over poor little confused Roller. ''I heard that it's one of the _crazy_ reasons why they can guard Decepticons, cause they can't be deceived. And they are totally neutral.'' He looked up at Optimus, who was smiling at his little partner with obvious fond amusement. ''How'd you get this one to leave all that and stick with ya?''

The young Prime shook his head. ''He just decided he wanted to stay with me and never left. Drove my instructors up the wall; he and his species unnerve Autobots and Decepticons alike.''

''Fascinating,'' was all he got in answer as the attention of the white cyber ninja was brought back to th Minicon. Poor Roller, he never got this much attention. He didn't know what to do!

''I believe it's time for you and yours to leave Ultra Magnus. Optimus and I have quite a bit of talking to do.'' And with that, Alpha Trion picked up Roller, took Optimus by the wrist and dragged him back into the giant library and away from the now solemn faces of the Jettwins and the scowls of Ultra Magnus and his Second in Command.


	2. Chapter 2

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: This fandome is completely new to me, at least for witting, so I hope there will be a lot of comments, be it with criticisms or likes. I know that there are a lot of stories waiting to be finished, but I can't get this out of my head so I had to write it. I have a feeling that after I finish this I will definitely get back to my other stories, starting with Seeing the Past, Living the Future and The Legendary Seraphim. Until then, I hope you enjoy this.**

A sigh escaped Optimus's lipplates. It has been five hours since the announcement has been made that Megatron's trail will be held in three days and he already feels like it has started with how nervous he has been these last two Earth weeks. Ever since he heard Alpha Trion's argument with Ultra Magnus, he has been feeling very uneasy and he could have sworn he was going paranoid with the impression of a pair of optics on him all the time. Had Roller not seen a mech hiding when he looked behind them yesterday, Optimus would have went to Ratchet for a coding check because certainly it had to be a glitch.

But, no. Minicons were very well known for never being led astray, be it by other mechs or their own processors and that just made things worse, because it meant he had a stalker. It had somehow disturbed even Roller, so you could imagine how on edge the young Prime was. He didn't know if it was one of their own Intelligence Agents or if it was another Decepticon spy like Longarm Prime had been. Neither option made him feel any better, because it either meant he was under suspicion or it was just that easy to break into Cybertron's most well protected city.

Optimus was broken out of his musings as he heard the new data clerk cursing up a storm not far from him. He suppressed a sigh and went to help him, Sling Shot, if he remembered right. He was rather tall for a minibot, at least a head taller than Bumblebee, but still not tall enough to reach the shelf above the middle of the case that held the bigger, older datapads. He had somehow managed to shake the case enough for half its contents to fall out of their rightful places and onto the library's floor.

''Here, let me help you.'' He somehow managed to even to scare the minibot when it should have been impossible. It was so quiet in the Archives that one of Earth's smallest insects would sound like a bulldozer in here.

''No need,sir, Optimus Prime sir! I can assure you, I can do it myself! I just tripped and, uh, yeah...'' There was definitely a little blush on his faceplates and Optimus chuckled a little. He knew that the bot a bit of a crush on him, but he couldn't bring himself to crush the kid's feelings by telling him that he wasn't his type...

Now Optimus was blushing too, thinking of his own impossible crush. He was such an idiot, but he couldn't help himself. Even before he first saw the mech, he had always dreamed of being held in strong arms, his healm resting on a wide chestplate and his arms around thick neckcables. What he hadn't known at the time was that he would also be taken in by a dreamy voice and red optics...

Optimus shook his head. He really shouldn't be thinking about it. He was an Autobot Prime and his crush ... Well, Optimus actually wondered if even after everything that he did that now made him famous actually got the bot's attention enough for the other to at least remember his name, but he doubts it.

"Thinking about Earth again, are you?" Came the amused tone behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see Alpha Trion smiling at him and Sling Shot was nowhere in sight, meaning it would be one of those Talks. The ones about either the trail or about his strange experience on that little organic planet he had started thinking of as a second home.

"One aspect of it, but yeah. "

"And what holds your attention? " An optic ridge came up.

"Megatron. " He said rather bluntly. "He was so determined to destroy all Autobots on Cybertron, calling them oppressors and saying he would never allow the past to repeat itself. Why? What happened? "

"The war before the Great War was the one we fought against the Quintessons and what I said the other day is true: had there been no Decepticons, we would have lost. But after the war ended, there was no real use for them, or so the Council saw it. They decided to put them in flight locks for breaking the law, if the offence was greater, then they were sent to the Gladiatorial Pits in Kaon, or they were smelted altogether. The more they protested, the worse it got. Soon, there was an outright rebellion led by Megazarak, Megatron's split-spark twin, but he fell in love with a promising young officer, an enforcer. The mech had saved him from torture, once. After that, they started corresponding, so much that Megazarak all but forgot about the revolution he had promised."

"But Megatron didn't. " Optimus said in a grave tone of voice.

"No, he didn't. " the old mech said tiredly. "He found out about his btother's sweetspark and sent Shockwave out on his first mission. The fragger found out in only three decacycles that not only was Megazarak truly in love and unwilling to hurt this mech, but the mech was promised to another and quite happy. Megazarak wouldn't believe that, not even with whatever evidence Shockwave found and rumours say that he attempted to offline Megatron as he was explaining that he was being used."

Optimus Was alread sitting on the ffloor before he even registered it. "What happened?"

"For all that the Decepticons liked Megazarak, they loved Megatron. Strika and Lugnut had benin the room with them and they had caught him midlaunch. Or so the stories say. Apparently, Megatron demanded a duel between them and the victor would decide the others fate. Megatron won and banished his own spar twin, leaving him with virtually nothing. A few megacycles later, Megazarak had somehow managed to get to Cybertron and saw the truth of what Megatron had wanted to warn him of. However, he had managed to get into the Council chamber and attempt to kill us all, but Ultra Magnus was there before anyone knew what was going on and they fought, almost trashed the place! When it was over and the Council was deciding on what to do with him, Ultra Magnus, still only a Major back then, asked for my help in freeing Megazarak, because we both knew, " and he suddenly looked every year of his age"what would happen to him."

"And what was that?" Optimus couldn't help but ask. This is the most he heard of the war and before it from someone who had actually been there and he really wanted to know more. He always loved history.

"You arein a library, Optimus Prime." The old mech said with amusement. "Read and find out. The legal section of the begginings of theGreat War are in the west wing, third shelf from the left. Now ..." a sigh. "Now I must go and try one more time to stop those idiots from holding that farce ofa a trail." And with that, he was gone, leaving Optimus to all but jog to the mentioned section.

He knew the archives by spark, and soon he was once again sitting on the cold hard floor like a sparkling, reading about what he would soon realize are the true horrors of the Golden Age and of the Great War.


	3. Chapter 3

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 _Previously..._

 _He knew the archives by spark, and soon he was once again sitting on the cold hard floor like a sparkling, reading about what he would soon realize are the true horrors of the Golden Age and of the Great War._

 _Now..._

As he sat in his little cell in Trypticon, Megatron could only think of the fierce little Autobot Prime that had defeated him, Optimus. The young mechanism probably wouldn't understand it, but these thoughts were not ones of vengeance and hate, nor were they of spite.

Quite the contrary...

In all his function, Megatron had never really been interested in anyone, and now here came the little Autobot and not only did he catch Megatron's optic like not even Starscream, the most elegant of Seekers as the Airlord of Vos, could, but he also caught his interest as both a warrior and a strategist. And not only that, but the Autobot looked like a demigod with those artificial wings! Megatron swore that had he not been in a fight in that moment, when he was watching that alluring red and blue frame fly over Detroit's skies, he would have taken the Prime out of the air and somewhere much more private to have his wicked way with him until the other couldn't neither walk nor talk for a week at the very least.

Instead of ruling Cybertron right now, though, he was in this Primus forsaken cell, for the very first time understanding what his twin must have felt for that foolish little enforcer. The only difference was that his little Prime would never do something as cruel as that enforcers had done. The young bot was far too noble and kind to think up something so underhanded. Maybe that enforcer had once like or even loved Megazarak like his twin had loved the enforcer, but that little fool had decided that having the affections of one of the Decepticon Lords was a better leverage than it was a honor. When he had learned that his spark twin was being used in such a way, he had been livid and it was only Shockwave's reasonable thinking that had stopped him from downright killing the mech in retaliation to the disgrace he was showing his brother. If his reaction to the facts presented to him were anything to go by, Megazarak would have truly killed him that day if he had shown him the mech's offlined body.

Instead, they had fought, and as strange as it may sound, Megatron was surprised he had won. It had always been Megazarak that had protected him and that had tutored him in brawling, he always won. The only reason Megatron had won was because he had trained with Strika, gaining him new tricks Megazarak didn't know he would know. It was that surprise that had won him their duel and what had come after that still made him lonely. It is hard to be away from your spark twin, but Megazarak had become a liability, so instead if offlinning him, Megatron banished Megazarak. And not long after that, he had heard that Megazarak finally saw the truth and had tried to offline the entire Council as redemption to his brother. Instead, the fool got himself captured by Ultra Major, who later freed him, causing Megazarak to start having feelings for _him_ and that wasn't even the end of it.

Megazarak had follen in love with the ffuture Magnus, and he had loved him back with all of his spark.

And no, now Megatron had fallen for Optimus Prime but it was not returned. Megatron wondered if this was some kind of divine punishment for all the things that he had done in his function, to fall in love with someone and to never even get a chance to at least express it.

His train of thought was interrupted by the entrance of the guards, all looking all too gleeful to drag him to his farce of a ''trail''.

Megatron suppressed a sigh as he was led into the Council chamber.

It had changed, like the rest of Cybertron. The colored glass that had once depicted the first Cybertronians and their very creator, Primus, had been replaced with the images of the many Magnuses that had come after the fall of the Dynasty of Primes. The once colorful chambers were now mostly blue and white, the colors of Autobots and their Commanders. There was nothing left to indicate that once apon a time, Cybertronian population was more than just petit civilianframes, but also the looming warframes they now called enemies.

Megatron had toadmit that he was a bit surprised to see Ultra Magnus up and about, especially since Shockwave didn't do things by halves. He wondered if they used the Allspark to fix him up.

He was brought out of his musings by that big-chinned baboon that was, according to Shockwave, the actual successor of the current Magnus. He was yelling at Megatron, but the warlord couldn't have cared less. He was contemplating his brother's choices for potential Conjunx Enduras, seeing as the first was a foolish little enforcer not worthy of a Decepticon's attention and the second was an idiot of abnormal proportions if he took this moron for his second with Optimus Prime still functioning.

"-and you will finally be brought to justice for all your crimes! Be they against the Autobot Commonwealth or against the rest of the Galaxy." Sentinel just finished his rant, not even noticing that the one it was directed at was not paying attention.

Or was he?

"If you wish to judge and trail me for crimes against the Galactic Council, you should have called delegations from all across the Universe. That is the proper protocol for holding trail for any foreign 'criminals' of war, especially a leader of a recognised state such as the Decepticon Empire. By Galactic Law, this trail is no more legal than those fabled trails of the Quinessons."

Most of theCouncil were left speechless, others were murmuring amongst themselves, taking in the information and realising in just what sort of slag they could be getting into. There were still yet some persistent mech trying to threaten him that such a trail we be even worse than this sorry excuse for justice.

Ultra Magnus looked displeased.

On his right side, Alpha Trion looked suspiciously smug.

"Silence! "The Autobot Commander finally bellowed, ending all chatter. He pointed the Magnus Hammer at the Decepticon Lord with a grave expression on his faceplates and a dramatic pose. "You shall be trailed here, as an enemy of this atate, for trying to eradicate the Autobot populace from within an abducted Omega Supreme. You will face your crimes against the Commonwealth from when you put a bounty on the protoforms hidden in Yoketron's old dojo. And you will face the consequences of starting the revolution and then the Great War all those stellar cycles ago! Justice shall be served!" And with the slam of the Hammer onto the tiled floor at his rised platform, the trail began.

Megatron wasn't even listening to what was being said. He was staring at his old enemy and comparing him to his little Prime. He found old Ultra severely lacking. Not even the Hammer looked right in his hand, though it had looked even weirder in Optimus Prime's possession, like it was an insult to the mech.

Around him, the Senate and the Council were arguing about weather they should put him down like a rabid cyberhound or if the Ministry of Science should take a look at his coding first. Perceptor down right refused to tinker with a mech's processor, making Sentinel enter the debate. Ultra Magnus kept glaring at the old red, purple and gray old bot beside him and the intensity of the returned aquamarine stare would have sent a lesser bot running.

The white cyber ninja he remembers seeing on Earth suddenly looked very concerned about something. Megatron watched in fascination as the alarm grew and found the poor bot's useless attempts at getting his superiors' attention rather hilarious.

And then there was shouting outside the chambers doors and it stopped all talking in the Council when it burst open, revealing the commotion.

Had he been a lesser mech, he would have writhed under the stare of those incredibly blue optics.

As it was, his spark jumped in joy and his interface panel suddenly got very tight at the sight of such anger on those pretty faceplates of his little Prime.

Optimus looked positively livid.


	4. Chapter 4

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 _Previously..._

 _The white cyber ninja he remembers seeing on Earth suddenly looked very concerned about something. Megatron watched in fascination as the alarm grew and found the poor bot's useless attempts at getting his superiors' attention rather hilarious._

 _And then there was shouting outside the chambers doors and it stopped all talking in the Council when it burst open, revealing the commotion._

 _Had he been a lesser mech, he would have writhed under the stare of those incredibly blue optics._

 _As it was, his spark jumped in joy and his interface panel suddenly got very tight at the sight of such anger on those pretty faceplates of his little Prime._

 _Optimus looked positively livid._

 _Now..._

When his somewhat mentor had left him in the vacant Archives, Optimus had all but dived into all those uncensored datapads and started reading. The further he got, the more he was disgusted by the leaders of Megatron's time and all the things they did... Let's just say, Optimus Prime was the angriest he has ever been in his function.

By the time he finished reading about what happened to Galvatron, a warframe who used to hold the title of Lord High Protector during the war with Quintessons but was later executed for the 'crimes' of trying to threaten the Council and place himself as ruler of Cybertron, he realized that he had not left his position for days and his chronometer informed him that the Warlord's trail has already begun.

He simply got up and was about to storm the Council and give them a piece of his mind, had it not been for a concerned Roller, who managed to make him stop long enough to consume the energon cube the Minicon had brought him. And so with a full tank and his little companion struggling to keep up with him, Optimus transformed and rolled out.

He couldn't explain this rage, this indignation he felt for what was done to the Decepticons. For all that they are cruel and manipulative, they were still sentient beings! Cybertronian people! Their brethren, if not by frame, then by spark and species!They were all created by Primus, for spark's sake!

No, this anger he could not explain, but it was his and it wasn't. But it didn't matter. The Council of the old has mistreated the Decepticons once and it has resulted in the Great War. Now, they were looking to do so again, by either leaving them leaderless or by pitting their beloved leader against them. And if Alpha Trion was to be believed, as he should - the mech probably saw more of Cybertron's history than anyone or anything else- then the Decepticons will do the one thing no one would even consider just to get back at the Autobots, and they really didn't need the squids on their proverbial doorsteps.

It was for this reason that Optimus Prime stalked through the Primal Basilica and straight past the startled guards, into the Council chambers, where he saw Megatron for the first time since his return to Cybertron.

His rage only warlord hadn't been treated since their arrival back to their home world. It made sense, it was only _logical_ that they not return their greatest enemy to his prime condition, but basic repairs should have been made.

Instead, all Optimus could see was the hasty medical treatment Ratchet had provided back on Earth, right after their battle. It made Optimus sick, the sight of such injuries so long untreated. He was probably in a lot of pain, but he had to give the Decepticon credit. Megatron showed no pain or discomfort, either on his faceplates or in his field, but the way his optics glowed dimmer, anyone with basic first aid knowledge would know that he was in agony. Optimus was horrified when it occurred to him that it could be because the mech was not fueled enough.

The hot rage turned cold. It must have showed on his face because the guards flinched back a few steps and, across the room, Jazz squirmed.

Megatron looked impressed and approving.

Ultrat Magnus cleared his throat. "What is your purpose here, Optimus Prime? What reasons do you have to not only interrupt this important session, but to enter with so little respect?"

The red and blue Prime straightened his backstruts. "Respect should be earned, not demanded. Sir." It was added as an afterthought, startling those who knew him as a Cadet in the Academy and making Megatron and Alpha Trion extremely proud and pleased. "As for why I'm here, it's because I don't believe Cybertron can survive the repeating of this particular mistake again."

"And what mistake

would that be?" Alpha Trion decided to be Unicron's advocate and threw fuel to the already raging fire he could see in the young Prime's optics. Megatron turned sharply to look at him suspiciously, but the old mech only had optics for Optimus. "The re-installation of the slave coding." Gasps were heard throughout the Council, but it was then all drowned out by Megatron's furious snarl.

"If you so much as look at that coding, I will personally see to it that not just the Autobots, but Cybertron itself is destroyed!" It was incredible, how Megatron could go from uninterested to ferocious in nanoseconds. ''I do not care if I have to detonate this planet, I will not allow the Decepticons to be used as slaves!''

''And they won't be.'' Optimus said with a scary surety. Alpha Trion grew excited. ''I won't allow it.'' It couldn't be, right? A lot more was needed, the kind of more that he regrets ever allowing the Magnuses to set their grubby little servos on, despite it being necessary at the time. ''I won't let any Cybertronian become like our own oppressors had been. We are better than that.'' The little Prime looked every mech in the eye as he said this. ''We are better than them.''

There were murmurs among the Councilmech anew. Megatron was shocked that only a few mechs seemed to know of whom the little Prime was talking about. Could they all be so young? He looked at Ultra Magnus, who looked resigned and proud both even if reluctantly, then at Alpha Trion. The older mech seemed both elated and disappointed, happy and sad. How odd.

''And what does a maintenance bot know of politics and justice, old buddy?'' Came the insulting remark that quickly whipped off any affection from Alpha Trion's faceplates and instead replaced them with a scowl.

If the red and blue Autobot had fangs, he would have completely bared them in his grin. ''Only as much as the Archives know about them.'' A blue hand reached into subspace and came out with a stack of old, old datapads. He took the one on top and gave the rest to a little Minicon who had rolled in after him. And wasn't that a strange sight. Minicons were completely _neutral_. Yet here was this orange and white Minicon, looking up at the little Prime with almost impossible affection in his little yellow optics as he took the datapads, even if it should have been rather difficult to show emotions with no true faceplates to speak of. He was round around the edges, almost too round, but there were obvious limbs. His legs were a bit longer, indicating he had a similar altmode to Optimus's own, if only the miniature, Cybertronian version. He had a strange crest on his forehead. A truly odd little fellow.

''You see,'' Optimus's voice snapped everyone out of their staring at Roller and they turned to him. ''The last time someone tried enslaving Cybertronians, _any_ Cybertronian, they were nearly completely neutralized. A brave warframe went deep into Quintesson space and blew up two thirds of their population, thus not surviving himself, just so we can our freedom now. He went on his own, wanting to save his people, meaning not just Decepticons, but Autobots too. There were no factions back then, only Cybertronians, different in built,'' At this, he looked from the Council, to Sentinel (glared more likely), to Alpha Trion and Ultra Magnus (determination), to Megatron, where his gaze stayed. ''But still the same in spark. Our programming might be either for building or for war, but our sparks are all created by Primus and come from the Allspark. If we enslave the warframes, we should enslave our fellow Autobots as well.''

Murmurs of disagreement here.

''We are better than the Quintessons, and we should start showing it by disregarding anything they would consider acceptable, starting with the slave coding itself!''

Alpha Trion beamed with pride, and Ultra Magnus resigned himself that he was feeling it as well. The Councilmech, or a good part of them, rose from their seats and applauded Cybertron's young hero, making Optimus flush. Megatron allowed his spark to flutter this time and his EM field extended to Optimus, allowing the bot to feel his gratitude. Jazz cheered in the background while Sentinel scowled.

''It is decided then,'' Ultra Magnus spoke, hitting the hilt of his Hammer against the tails a few times to quiet everyone down. ''The trail will commence tomorrow at noon. Dismissed.''

Optimus smiled and saluted at the Council chamber, many of them saluting him back. And with that, the little Prime and his even smaller companion left the Primal Basilica, never noticing a pair of impressed red optics, nor the convinced and determined pair of air force blue optics.

That recharge cycle, a smoke bomb was dropped into an apartment and a figure dropped from the vents. Roller tried waking up his companion, but it was useless as the Minicon himself was getting tired and falling into an emergency stasis. The gray and brown frame looked at the two bots in front of him and made a quick decision, taking them both. He made quick work of getting out of the great city of Iacon, boarding his ship and taking off world, warping when he was well out of Cybertron's atmosphere, knowing he had very little time.

The red and blue bot was well loved and he was losing time with every klik. The kid needed to be briefed on the mission he was about to get and the responsibility he was saddling him with. There was no doubt in his processor that he had chosen the right mech.

Primal Major just hoped Optimus Prime was strong enough.


	5. Chapter 5

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

Ratchet was not a happy mech.

Now, don't misunderstand. He was more than thrilled that he had Omega up and functional and fully operational once more, even if it meant that they were getting new missions. And he was delighted to see Arcee getting settled in this, for her, new time so well. The kids were a great big help as well. Bumblebee, for all that he is annoying, liked talking with Arcee and Bulkhead's sometime shy manners around the femme were making things all that much easier, and for Omega too! They just accepted him as anew friend that was bigger than them, but as a person and not a war machine. And Sari was often enough with them that it was almost like they were still on Earth, hanging out and messing around.

With all that, Ratchet couldn't be happier.

What really got him pissed was that Optimus was not allowed to stay with them.

He had originally thought it was Sentinel's way of getting petty revenge on Optimus for being more competent than him, but Optimus had explained that it had been Ultra Magnus's order and that really got under the old medic's plating. Oh, he knew all about old Magnuses feeling threatened by young talented officers with potential for greatness. It wouldn't be the first time and someone of Optimus's talent for leading would be a great threat, no matter what some bots would say.

Still, it wasn't fair. Optimus was their Prime, their leader! Their friend, first and foremost, but also the head of their little family. He could make Bumblebee and Sari behave like not even Arcee can, he can make Bulkhead have more confidence in himself and his art and he could make Ratchet talk about the old days and take at least a bit of the burden off him old shoulderstruts. And even Arcee liked him, for all that she knew him for such a short time. Omega missed him, too, since he saw the recordings of Optimus always being careful with his controls and fixing things that the young bots had somehow damaged. To this day, Ratchet will never forget how Optimus knew on sight just who the ship he will be commanding was and treating it like a sentient being that it was, not just a machine made for war.

It earned him a special place in Ratchet's old spark, yet he would never tell the kid just how much he meant to him. He had thought his spark will break when the kid offlined in their first fight against Starscream, then he had feared the relief would burst his spark. The fear he felt when Lockdown took him was almost as great as the one he had felt when Optimus had fought Megatron, any of those fight, really! He swears to Primus that Optimus was placed on this world just to give Ratchet frights!

There was one more reason he was angry other than the kids, Omega and Arcee missing Optimus as much as he missed him. He had been called in by the Magnus himself as a representation of his team.

He had a very bad feeling about this.

00000

Optimus slowly onlined his optics to the sight of a familiar but different ceiling of the med bay like on Omega Supreme, only it was blue like his own hands and pedes were and not orange. He could just make out Roller on a smaller berth across from his own and checking his movements, he found he was not restrained. A quick medical check showed him that he was healthy, his code hasn't been touched and his frame was only well rested, if a bit sore.

Okay, now he was confused.

Optimus slowly straightened up and brought his pedes down the berth, marveling at how soft the thing was. He looked around the med bay and found it better furnished and equipped than even some rooms in the Military Hospital back on Cybertron. There were all sorts of machines and two were currently active, showing that, as far as he can tell, that both he and Roller are healthy. He still did his own limited medical scans on his little friend and sighed in relief when he saw that he was uninjured.

It would seem that whatever had knocked him out was too much for the Minicon and he won't be waking up anytime soon, so Optimus got out of the berth and wandered over to the doors. He wondered if he was locked in, but the doors opened for him as if he were truly on Omega Supreme. He looked both ways in the hallway, wondering if he should be walking around without even knowing who his captor was and weather they will be displeased.

Optimus snorted.

After all the slag he had gone through on Earth, what with Megatron and the Decepticon High Command being there, he was not going to lie idle and wait for his faith.

With his head held high, Optimus Prime set off down the corridor that should lead to the bridge.

00000

As the old medibot stood before his desk, Ultra Magnus felt like he was about to do one of the hardest things in his life.

The only other bot in the room was Alpha Trion, who had refused to budge on the matter. He had to give it to the old bot. His loyalty and affection for Optimus Prime went unquestioned for many stellar cycles. He was the one who refused to believe the red and blue Prime was dead and had even talked to that little Minicon companion of his, so the little bot had kept Optimus's belongings and never allowed anyone to take his room. He was the one that had thought Optimus to keep fighting for what he believed in.

Yet the bot in front of them both was many millenia younger than the old Councilmech, but time was good on Trion, while Ratchet looked old as his every year. He had seen much and had felt what may as well have been the death of his charge, Omega Supreme, and had seen what one of his patients was turned into. And recently, he saw one of the young bots in his care offline. Ultra Magnus feared his old spark will not survive these news.

''You asked to see me, Magnus, sir?'' The respect that was there when he talked to his young leader was missing all too obviously when he spoke before his Magnus. Ultra made note of that. Apparently, Optimus Prime could earn the loyalty of even this mech, who hated the military for what happened to the Omega Sentinels. He could understand that. He had been behind that project 100% and now he hated it, because the place in his spark where Sigma had once been is empty and cold and he missed that trust the shipformer had had in him.

''Yes, Medical Officer Ratchet. I wished to talk to you about your crew-''

''If the young bots have done something, it is because we are currently missing our leader! There is no one else they will listen to like they do Optimus Prime, sir, and I would appreciate it if you reassigned him back to our crew. Sir.''

Alpha Trion almost smiled at that. Almost.

''Duly noted, Medical Officer Ratchet. However,'' The Magnus continued as if the red and white bot hadn't just scolded him because of the absence of his little crew's leader. ''I called you to speak about something regarding Optimus Prime. And after what I just heard, I know you will want to embark on this mission, just like Alpha Trion predicted.'' He sounded annoyed and the Councilmech smirked at him weakly. Ratchet immediately noted that the old bot looked older than he usually did, stress clear in every nut and bolt.

Something like lead settled in Ratchets tanks. ''What happened to Optimus? Is he alright?'' He quickly crossed the room to Ultra's desk and all but slammed his servos on it. ''Answer me, slag you!''

Ultra Magnus couldn't conceal his shock, but he should have expected this.

It was Alpha Trion who answered. ''Three days ago, Optimus barged in on Megatron's first day of trail and after the speech he gave that day, he was invited to participate actively in it, but he never showed, not the second day, not the third. We put the trail on hold and I went to see what had happened, but Optimus hadn't been seen by others in his apartment building since his return after that first day. I went into his room, only to find it filled with some gas that instilled emergency stasis, if Perceptor is to be believed. All evidence points to that fact that,'' He took a long breath and it came out as a vary sigh, ''Optimus Prime has been kidnapped by an unknown party and we don't know what they might want in return, or if he is still online.''

Ratchet felt like the ground fell out from under his pedes.


	6. Chapter 6

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 _Previously..._

 _''Optimus Prime has been kidnapped by an unknown party and we don't know what they might want in return, or if he is still online.''_

 _Ratchet felt like the ground fell out from under his pedes._

 _Now..._

Optimus walked around the ship, both thankful and a bit disturbed by hos similar it was to the Orion, meaning to Omega Supreme. It brought a sense of deja vu, when he remembered thinking that the Steelhaven was almost the same as Omega, but then he had figured it out that it was actually a shipformer like Omega, that it was Sigma Supreme. But if it was like that, then this ship was another Omega Sentinel and he couldn't for the life of him figure out why someone who had a Supreme would kidnap him. And as far as he knew, all those who had once been bonded to a Supreme were either offlined or discharged from duty, other than Ratchet, for obvious reasons. The old medic was far too suborn to let anyone near his precious friend and Optimus couldn't stifle the pride he felt when he thought Ratchet had allowed him to command his ship.

Besides, Optimus like Omega. He was like a giant sparkling, even if he was created for war.

He broke out of his musings when he noticed that the loading bay was open ahead of him and from what he could see, it lead outside onto an organic-looking planet. Deciding that he might as well look around the ship and try to figure out which it was and where they were now, Optimus headed outside, only to stop and take a deep intake at the sight of the beautiful planet.

It looked like one of Earth's many rain forests, only without the rainy seasons. It was filled with all sorts of colorful flowers, some of them bigger than Lugnut in size, some smaller than an Earthling bee. The trees were either twisted in spirals, or were as straight as arrows. It was occupied by what looked like giant butterflies and what could easily be called phoenixes from human mythology. He could hear their songs and he offlined his optics to let this calming sense go through his whole frame. The sun of this planet was very warm, if not as bright as Earth's sun had been and Optimus reveled in the heath. It soothed something deep inside him, something that had always felt cold because something seemed to be missing.

Prowl would have loved this place.

And before that painful train of thought could be continued, he heard pedesteps coming up behind. ''Enjoying the view?''

The red and blue bot reacted on instinct and took out his ax, ready for a battle for his life. Instead, he came face to face with a bot that had been reported and thought as dead since the beginnings of the war. Optimus's jaw dropped and he placed away his ax without conscious thought as he stared at one of his heroes. ''Primal Major! B-but how?''

The presumed to be dead bot nodded with a small smile. ''I've observed you, Optimus Prime, so I know you are smart and quick-witted. You must have realized that my ship was not an ordinary spaceshuttle.''

Optimus nodded. ''So I was right. It is an Omega Sentinel, and if history and memory serve me well, I would guess that it's Alpha Supreme.'' It wasn't even a question. Good, though Primal. He needed to be confident in his skills and knowledge if he is to survive the mission he was about to give him.

Optimus suddenly looked like he remembered something, and with an embarrassed blush, quickly fell into a perfect Autobot Academy salute. Primal chuckled. Ah, this kid was a good chap. Alpha will like him.

''Sorry about that, sir!''

''What is there to be sorry for! If anything, I should be saying sorry to you for not saluting! After all, I am only a Major while you are a Prime. Your rank is higher than mine.''

The red and blue bot managed to look determined while still a bit embarrassed. ''I still salute my old drill Sargent, and he is only a Minor. You may not be my superior in title, but you are in age and experience, and if you have truly observed me as closely as you say, then you should know that I believe respect is earned.''

''But you haven't always acted this way. What changed?'' He had to test him in some way, so trustworthiness was the first test he will see if the kid will be honest with him.

''No, I used to trust and respect my superior officers to make the right decisions. After they were ready to not listen to our report and after trying to make me lie just so they could still have the support of the populace, I realized I need to question them in order for them to be good leaders.'' He looked down at this, dropping into parade rest. ''Besides, fighting Decepticons, and Megatron especially, changes one's perspective quite a bit.''

''Oh?''

Optimus nodded. ''It made me realize that the propaganda about the war was all black and white. The Autobots were the heroes, the Decepticons were the d guys and all things were okay as long as they won us the battles, if they won us the war. I... I never want to be a part of that. The Decepticons have done some truly terrible things and they can't always be trusted, but they don't seem like the cruel monsters who kill because they get off on that like the propaganda videos always show. No, they are just like us.'' Primal noticed that the young Prime's servos were clenched into fists, and noted that he had to teach the youngster to keep his thumbs inside the fist and not leave them sticking out like that. A skilled fighter, like all the Decepticons were, could easily use it to their advantage and the kid would be left pretty vulnerable if his thumbs were used against him. Such a stupid way to die, really. ''They did what they considered was necessary, seeing as they were exiled from their own home planet. They had to become cruel to survive. I'm not saying that it excuses what they did, because it doesn't. Nothing ever will. But I understand why ... At least, I would like to think I understand.''

Now this was interesting. ''You don't think you do already? I mean, I know you did research, quite a bit of it, too. Shouldn't you have gotten it by now?''

Optimus chuckled bitterly. ''I wish I could say I did. But I never got to speak to a Decepticon past threats and taunts. And no one can truly understand what they went through like they can. No one can explain it like they could. And I can only presume, and those can't always be correct, no matter how throughly you study something. And besides, it's always better to get information from the most direct source, right?''

So the little Prime had a much greater depth to him? Good. Primal Major nodded to himself with a small smile. He had been right; the kid would do great, despite the enormity of the task. He had chosen right, and just in time. Alpha will like him, and the kid was responsible enough. Good, very good indeed. Primal sighed to himself as he looked from his young companion to his ship. They'll be just fine.

He can rest now.

00000

Ultra Magnus and Alpha Trion had expected many thing: a mental breakdown, panicking, anger, a spark-attack. Maybe even yelling... Yeah, they definitely expected yelling. A downright tantrum, most likely.

What they _hadn't_ expected was for the medic to rise his hand to his commlink and call his team in, then make the two of them tell the young bots and the techno-organic what had happened to their leader. And they hadn't expected the yelling from the kids as they all but damned them for letting it happen. Almost. They were still too nice, too well behaved. It might have something to do with their leader being strict with those kinds of things.

That didn't stop them from trying to yell the two Councilmecha's audials off.

''Shut up!'' Yelled the medic after he felt the two mechs have had enough. He turned from the now quiet youngsters to look at the two highrankers. ''Now that you know we very much _disagree_ with any potential situations were you make us _not_ participate in Optimus's rescue, why don't you tell us what you know? Sir.'' That last word was more of an insult than if he were to be called a slaghead.

Ultra Magnus nodded and called for Jazz, Sentinel and Cliffjumper. The three mentioned bots came relatively quickly, Jazz looking frustrated, Sentinel just raised his impressive chin at the assembled bots and Cliffjumper looked harried. The poor red minibot had had it rough since he had been elected the Acting Head of Inelegance and now he had the disappearance of a Prime, and Cybertron's young hero,too, to worry about.

''Hey ,where are the Jettwins?'' Bumblebee was the first to make a comment about the two of Sentinel's additional shadows that were suspiciously missing. Ratchet had noticed that they have been missing since two days before the beginning of the 'trail' but he had thought them on a mission. Optimus would have known. The kids loved him and always called him when they went flying. They found him a challenge that not even the VR could present, though Ratchet couldn't blame them. After those first few disaster trail-and-error tries at flying, Optimus had taken to the skies as if he belonged there and his victory over the Decepticons had earned him hero-worship from the whole of Cybertron, but the Jettwins especially.

And Optimus was good to them, good for them, like he was with everyone else. People tended to look at Jetfire and Jetstorm as if they were just about to up and level Iacon to the ground like what those fragged up propaganda videos suggested all Decepticons do. And it isn't that surprising, really. Cybertron is wrapped up in a cocoon of paranoia it doesn't want to leave, so people were not so much trigger-happy like the military are, but they would very likely love to report their neighbor to be a Decepticon just because they were bored that day. Poor Jetstorm and Jetfire had to hunch around people or they would be verbally abused. It seemed to agitate their coding almost as much as the lack of fighting or flying did. Thankfully, Optimus had been around to fix both of those problems, as well as defuse any fights the civilians tried to start with them.

It would have been much worse by that point, had Perceptor not come to tell him that the kids seemed to be causing mischief because their Decepticon coding they took from Starscream was acting up. How Perceptor got the information they needed to stop the coding from getting completely out of control, Ratchet didn't want to think about, but the fact was that only Optimus, or some other random Decepticon, could get those younglings to behave because they already respected him. With every brawl that Optimus won, the kids listened more to him. Perceptor explained it was because their processors were confused, they were looking for a trine leader, something only seekers do, and since Starscream was the Airlord of Vos and thus the leader of a trine, Optimus would have to prove himself as worthy of the position. And with every new flight those three took, Optimus became more of a priority when orders and behavior came into question. They listened to him first and foremost.

And seeing as Optimus hadn't left the Archives for a couple day before Megatron's trail began...

''Didn't you hear?'' The look on Sentinel's faceplates said it all.

Ratchet suddenly felt sick.

''They were exiled from the planet for quite a few charges, the main among them was sending a commanding officer to the intensive care and spark support. They had to leave the day before the trail began.''

''But why?'' Sari asked, shock clear in her voice.

Sentinel looked at her with even clearer distaste. ''Why what?''

''Why would they fight anyone? They're really good guys, kids like me, or so Ratchet said. I don't get it...''

''Yeah! The Jettwins are loyal Autobots like us! They helped fight the Decepticons as much as anyone else, maybe more, seeing as they helped take back the Steelhaven when the Decepticons broke free when you had Lockdown hunt them down and then took all the credit!'' Bumblebee yelled and for the first time, no one stopped him. Ratchet was even glad that the yellow minibot had such a big and runny mouth, at least this time...

''Is what he says true, Sentinel Prime?'' There was obvious, real, true anger in Ultra Magnus's voice. Ratchet approved. He would have probably took Sentinel apart and then reassembled him so that he could never again make another move without most of his limbs flying up to kick him in his smug face.

The big-chinned bot looked nervous. ''Well, you see, it was, I was!''

''Enough of your blabbering, Sentinel Prime!'' The Magnus commanded, then looked at Jazz. ''Is what they say true? Did the Decepticons almost run away with my ship?'' There was a warning against lying or stuttering this time.

Luckily, Jazz was more than willing to talk. ''Yes, sir. We were all captured when Sentinel had left the Decepticons out of their cells to interrogate them for information on Megatron's whereabouts and plans. Unfortunately, the Decepticon Swindle, who had been frozen in altmode, had unfrozen and freed the other prisoners - for a price. It is Swindle, sir. We would have been scrap had OP- um Optimus Prime not come with the plasma dynamic thruster through Swindle's subspace or whatever that thing is - he said something about it being connected to his HQ's safe or something. It was with his help that we managed to get most of the Decepticons back into our custody.''

''And why was I not infom-''

''Listen, as much as I like seeing Sentinel what's coming to him, I would also like to see boss-bot back with us, thank you.'' Bumblebee interrupted and the others nodded in agreement with him.

''Right.'' Ultra Magnus nodded back at them. ''Sentinel Prime, Jazz, we will finish this later. Cliffjumper, report what we know.''

The red minibot stood to attention and nodded to the Magnus, then looked at the room at large. ''what we know we find rather disturbing. I have good news and bad news. The good news is that it is not the Decepticons that had kidnapped Optimus Prime, nor is it another species. That's where the bad news come in. Not only are they Cybertronian,'' Cliffjumper paused as he took out a datapad from his subspace and showed it to them. ''But also-''

''That's the trail signature of warp energy!'' Bulkhead exclaimed when he saw the parameters of the diagram. ''Every use of the space bridges leave a mark behind, one of the reasons we always know when someone used a space bridge. But trans-warp capable ships leave a similar mark behind as well, it's only that they don't show where they land, so it's harder to track them. And, well, they actually leave a shape behind, you know, like the energy mark is in the same shape as the ship-''

''We get it Bulkhead ... I think?'' Bumblebee said and looked to Sari, who just shrugged.

''Wait! So what you're saying is that someone, from Cybertron, took Optimus Prime and warped away in one of our warp-capable spaceships?'' Arcee, who had been quiet after the little yelling rally the group had at the news, spoke up for the first time. ''But how is that possible? I mean, shouldn't they be guarded extra carefully?''

''That's the thing. The only warp-core ships was the Omega Sentinels, and in order for them to not be misused, after the spark extinguishes, most functions are disabled, except if the right command is used or if the bot bonded to them uses those functions.''

''What you want to suggest is that Optimus was kidnapped by some of our own?'' Bulkhead asked.

''That is also impossible.'' Ultra Magnus said with certainty. ''Most of the mentor-bots of the Omega Sentinels went down with their ships, and those who hadn't would never misuse their old friends, even if you promised them the Universe! Besides, if this,'' He pointed at the energy signature that Bulkhead had named earlier,''is the mark, why hadn't we started disusing the second mark?''

''What second mark?'' Everyone asked and Bulkhead went closer, everyone making way for the space bridge expert.

''Ah! You're right! But that mark is, like, really really old. Like a few decacycles old. Almost as old as the energy mark from our return from Earth, even!'' The big green bot blinked. ''Why hadn't this been investigated by now?''

Cliffjumper looked ready to cry. ''Because there was no one to order the investigation! Our Acting Magnus was more concerned with making the rightful hero of Cybertron be discharged from any duty so he would not get even more credit for deeds he has truly done! I was still only a secretary back then and my advice was being ignored! Then the trail began and everyone wanted all forces focused on Cybertron, so the signature went ignored, again! I didn't know what to do, so I just followed orders! And when I heard that we can finally investigate it, it was too late for that one, but a new one had appeared. But apparently, no one in the Space Bridge Expert Engineering department knew how to track the signal, so this is all I've got to report!''

Everyone stared at this outburst.

''Wow! Talk any faster, and you might just match Blur!'' Bumblebee exclaimed with a whistle. Everyone chuckled at that, despite the dire situation. ''By the way, where is he? I still want to race him!''

Everyone was quiet.

Then all together:

''OH SLAG!''


	7. Chapter 7

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: Hi again! Things are slowly heating up! Now, here is where things are truly starting to become different from the show. In my fic, Cybertron has six moons and not two, I will explain why later on. Optimus will slowly start to realize what Primal wants from him and Alpha Trion will start making demands and getting things done on his own, that old crook. Also, there might be some unexpected reappearances.**

 **Also I would like to thank my reviewers, Gunmetal2017 and UnknownAlien, for leaving their comments. It means a lot, so this is my thank you.**

''Sooo, where are we?'' Optimus asked as he and Primal Major walked back to the ship. It seemed more than giant butterflies and earthly birds of myth lived on this planet. There was an entire society separated from the forest. They respected the nature and it's creatures, but they didn't interfere with it. They looked like three eyed, four eared, blue humans with only a single lock of hair falling from the top of their head to curl above their eyes, blue for males and pink for females. They were really friendly and seemed to know and like Primal very well. It made Optimus wonder just how often the older mech came to this planet if they new how he liked his fuel and what kind was the best for his ship.

''We are on Seperam 3, one of the moons of the Planet Sep. I wouldn't advise going to the planet itself. The people down there hate you if you don't know their language or customs. They would actually shoot you if you don't know that you shou-''

''Wait, did you just say Sep!? As in _Sep_ Sep, the one that is right next to Quintesson territory!? Are you nuts?!'' Optimus all but exploded, realizing in just what kind of danger he could be.

''Yes, why I am nuts and bolts and hydraulics and so on. Why would you even ask that?'' Primal looked genuinely confused and Optimus realized he didn't know any of Earth's language to understand the meaning.

''Never mind that! Why are we so close to Quintesson space?''

''I'll tell you when we get back to the ship. There are many things I must do, and yet there is so little time. But the first on the list will have to be a grand tour of your home for the foreseeable future, so come! Hurry up!''

And Optimus was left with no choice but to run after the older mech, wonder just what had he gotten himself into this time around.

00000

It took a while, but they had managed to get back on track, even after all that ruckus about the Jettwins and Blur. They would have to get back to them in time, but right now there was a missing Prime on a trans-warp-capable ship and they needed to get him back as soon as possible.

''Bulkhead, can you track where the ship transported of to?'' It was the million credit question of the hour and everyone waited with bathed breath as the greed bot thought. After a few klicks, he nodded and there was a little cheer.

''But-'' He began and was cut off.

''Of course there's a 'but'!'' Both Sari and Bee cried together.

He ignored them. ''I'll need the full access to our sensors on all six moons and in the orbit. And I will need any satellites that are further out in the Commonwealth's space, so we can get as accurate coordinates as possible. But don't forget that it might take some time, so I suggest getting ready so we can leave as soon as I have the location, because they might decide to leave and if they're far enough from our satellites, we won't be able to track them, maybe not as good, maybe not at all.''

''So time is of the essence, then?'' Alpha Trion said and slowly got up. ''Then we must hurry.''

''You are right, Alpha Trion. Jazz, you and Sentinel will make sure that Steelhaven is ready for take off as soon as we get these coordinates, so get to it.''

The above mentioned bots saluted with a crisp ''Sir, yes, sir!'' and left to do as told.

''Ratchet, you will prepare Omega Supreme as well, since I know you will not follow any order that says you do otherwise, so get ready and do it quick. We don't know where we will be going, but there might be need for Omega to fight.''

''Don't you worry, sir.'' Ratchet said with a scary glint in his optics. ''Omega likes Optimus very much, so he won't have a problem with fighting to get him back.'' There was a very audible threat in that and Alpha Trion nodded approvingly. ''Now, if you'll excuse us, we must prepare.''

''Please do. Bulkhead, Cliffjumper will lead you to where you need to be, then you will get Perceptor, Wheeljack and Team Athenia. They'll be traveling on our ship, so they're just taking weapons.''

The two bots nodded and hurried out of the room. Just as he was about to say something to the old Councilmech, he saw that the bot was already leaving. ''Alpha Trion!''

He didn't stop nor turn his head. ''I will go with you to retrieve him, weather you approve or not, Magnus. I do not need your permission.''

''I was not going to stop you.'' Ultra assured.

''Not that you could.'' The red, purple and gray bot stopped at the door. ''That bot is the reason I have lived this long, I will not let him be lost or offlined before I become one with the Allspark. And just so you know, should it be needed, I will take whatever help I can find, so tell your trigger-happy soldiers not to fire on sight.''

''What are you planning!?''

The old mech just ignored him and went out the doors. Ultra Magnus sat and massaged his forehelm. If that old cryptic bot was coming with them, things will get a lot more complicated along the way. And if he doesn't just roll with it, the old glitch will put him in his place. And it's not as if he didn't want Optimus back, even if the bot was a bit of a threat to his position. He had always cared for the red and blue bot and he could not help the shudder at the thought of that bright frame turning gray, of those impossibly royal blue optics offlining forever.

If it comes to it, he will follow Alpha Trion's insane plan and hope that Primus was smiling at them that day.

00000

''And this is the library.'' Primal said cheerfully, watching the awe and glee on his young companion's faceplates. The Minicon beeped beside him as Optimus ran into the large space and started looking over the datapads with a practiced optic and nearly squeaking at what things they contained. He was sooo going to read them all! ''It contains much of the same data the Archives do back in Iacon, but also a lot more of the secret research done before, during and after all of our wars. As well as my own research and my captain's logs over the long stellar cycles I traveled the Universe, searching for the truth.''

''The truth of what?'' Optimus asked as he ran his digits along the edges of one of the shelves.

Primal just smirked and shook his head. ''You'll find out soon enough.''

Those royal blue optics looked up at him and the Major had to hold back a shiver at the sheer wisdom and age behind that look, behind optics that had not even see a true war yet. ''I don't really like the sound of that. Why can't you tell me now?''

''Because I need you to understand certain things before this ship can take off. And for now, it is too early.''

''Hmm. Ok.''

Primal's jaw dropped. ''Just like that?''

Optimus smirked even as he took out one of the datapads. ''You'll tell me sooner rather than later, I can tell that, and for now I'll just keep collecting clews as to what it is you'll tell me. After all, there has to be a reason behind your actions. I mean,'' He flicked the pad on casually. ''You didn't tell me Alpha Supreme's fuel needs for no reason, nor did you introduce me to the Seperamians just for kicks. Besides, you said this will be my home for some time, which means you'll be taking me on a journey, so why bother trying to figure out cryptic nonsense when I can collect facts and figure it out as I go, right?''

Primal just shook his head in disbelief. The kid knew when and what he can win, so he played it safe and played it good. Yes, Alpha Supreme will be in good hands, but there was still a lot more he needed to teach the kid before he can rest and he's running out of time.

"Optimus, meet me in the bridge I ten kliks, I need to show you some more delicate details. Tell me, you know how to read a star map?"

Optimus nodded with a smile.

Primal smiled a little in return and left the kid to it. He walked through the corridors until he reached what he was looking for. After entering the room, he made his way to the pillar like casing of the shipformers spark chamber and ran his old servo over it.

"Soon, Alpha Supreme. Soon you will experience the world outside your own spark." He was going to say more but was overcome by a coughing fit. It lasted so long he feared he'll be late in meeting Optimus in the bridge, but it stopped with some time for him to spare. He took out a rag without even a thought, and without looking at his servo that he had been holding over his intake, he whipped the energon off like he did after every fit for tha last thousand stellar cycles. They had been becoming an everyday occurrence and he worried that he'll leave the Prime before he can tell him everything. Sure, there are lots of things he can learn from his logs over the orns, but a few things he'll have to learn by example.

Primal only hoped he'll hold out that long.

At least the kid learned quick!

00000

When Bulkhead brought the coordinates of hleader's captor and of his leader himself, Ultra Magnus, as well as everyone else, was surprised to see his grim expression.

It was grim for a good reason.

"We found boss-bot," was the first thing he said. "But we also, rather accidentally found a Quintesson fleet heading at top speed towards the Commonwealth and, more precisely, towards Cybertron." Gaps all around the room, worried glances exchanged. "At their current speed, they'll reach Autobot space in three to five decaorns. That should give us enough time to prepare, as well as get boss-bot back, but we won't be at our best because-"

"Half our forces are fighting Decepticons at the ridges of the galaxy." Ultra Magnus finished tiredly. If the squids are really trying another go at Cybertrron, as they were now,they'll lose for certain!

"Then it's a good thing you won't have to fight at the ridges of the galaxy. You should focus on Cybertron." Said a voice from the doorway, making everyone snap to attention and kicking on all battle protocols.

Megatron smirked lazily at them, crimson optics at half mass. He was finally fully repaired and made quite an intimidating sight with Shockwave, Lugnut, Blitzwing and the Starscreem clones at his back. It didn't help that he had his cannon back. "You deal with the squids, and let me deal with my Decepticons."

"MEGATRON!"

What's he doing here!?" Bumblebee all but screeched. His stingers were out and charged, as ready for a fight as the rest of them. Ultra Magnus just sighed tiredly.

"I called them here. We'll need their help." Alpha Trion said as he entered from behind the lurking Decepticons, effectively cutting off Lugnut's righteous anger at the tone used at his glorious Lord Megatron.

"ALPHA TRION!?"

"Primus, kill me now." Was all that the great commander of the Autobot forces could say .

Megatron just smirked.

00000

After what felt like orns of lessons, Optimus could finally get some rest.

It had been a tiering day and he and Roller had been led from this side of the ship to that. He was thought how to fix every part of the ship, how every system needed to be maintained, how to read every type of star maps, how to recognize which planet's ship is was long before the ship's sensors could pick it up, how to navigate the ship manually, how the activate the weapons, how to trans-warp and so on. And Primal was a very good teacher. He made everything seem interesting, although he seemed to be in a hurry...

Optimus sat up at that thought. For all the other's calm behavior, he still showed some discomfort and worry in his EM field. Like he was on a schedule that must be met or something disastrous could, no - _would_ happen. It made Optimus worry for the Major. He was an old bot, surely as old as Ratchet, and he shouldn't be worrying that much. Maybe it was something to do with Alpha Supreme...

This thought made something in Optimus's CPU snap. Ever since he woke up, he hadn't heard a peep from the Omega Sentinel. He hadn't tried to speak with Optimus, but he could understand that. After all, maybe Primal had told him not to communicate with Optimus until he thought him everything he wanted, so as to not distract him, but even that didn't seem right. And if that was the situation, then surely the shipformer would have at least asked questions of his mentor-bot. After all, Omega sure did love asking questions and Ratchet never minded answering. But, then again, Omega had been in stasis for many stellar cycles, unlike Alpha, so of course he had so much questions. Alpha had probably asked everything about this system a hundred times already...

But the Supremes were made with a limited processor, thus making them literal sparklings for the entirety of their functioning. And sparklings always had some question or the other to ask, no matter weather it was a silly one or a serious one. Thus, Alpha should have at least asked one question by now, right? He should at least have asked who Optimus was-

Something in the corner of his optics caught Optimus's attention. He walked over to it, examining it from the distance and then from up close. He thought it looked like a one person elevator, but why would that be in one of the crew berthchambers... For the first time since he had gotten into the room, the young Prime looked around. There was a desk on one side of the room, and at the other side, there was a wall-wide star map that showed their current location and requested a code to show a path through the galaxies that had been inputted there. There was a shelf with what looked to be all empty datapads on one wall, and another beside the head of the large berth he had just been lying on. It was filled with datapads he knew were used for a captain's log, since he had to use them back on the _Orion_. There was an energon dispenser by the work-desk and the chair in front of said desk looked like the most comfortable piece of furniture Optimus had ever seen, but it probably wasn't as soft as the berth.

It was the captain's chambers!

Optimus's CPU spun from the implications. No, he must be hallucinating from the exhaustion, after all, he was pretty tired. There was no way this meant what he thought it did! He was just an Academy washout! No, it had to be Primal Major's misguided way of showing respect because he had a lesser rank or something! But the chambers looked unused except for the shelf with the captain's log and the little elevator...

Deciding that he will read that later, Optimus Prime turned back to the elevator and looked for ways of opening it. He found a hand-scanner and placed his servo there, quite surprised when he was let in. The light from the elevator lit up the room, revealing it to be in the colors of red and blue like the outside of the shipformer. Hesitating only a nanosec, Optimus went in.

The ride down was smooth and the stop even smother. When the doors opened again, the breath was stolen out of Optimus Prime's intake. In front of him was an oval room, well lit and pulsing with power. In the middle was a pillar with the familiar faction badge of Autobots painted in red. There was another scanner there, but Optimus didn't need the pillar to open to know what was stored in it.

Optimus was standing in Alpha Supreme's spark chamber.

00000

''Why did you call Megatron here?!'' Was the question of the hour. Alpha Trion, rust take his gears, looked cool and collected, while everyone else was either panicking or annoyed. Shockwave couldn't decide which he was (seeing as he was the 'traitor' to these bots and they were surrounded, not to mention that Cliffjumper had asked him what he had done to Blur - How could they have noticed only now!?) but he knew that the Magnus was most definitely the latter. As for his Lord and master, Megatron looked rather pleased with himself and Shockwave was willing to bet his one optic that he was the only one who knew why.

Love.

His Lord Megatron had fallen in love with the red and blue young Prime, Optimus and Shockwave has to give his master credit. He chose the best warrior among the Autobots, their possibly best tactician and the one who brought up moral faster than even the Magnus himself. Not to mention that he was easy on the optics and very kind. Why, if he hadn't fallen for his own little Autobot, the young Prime would have been his own choice.

Sadly, he had fallen for another bot and it was one he worked closely with. If Agent Blur hadn't worked under him, maybe the speedster wouldn't have become a threat and Shockwave wouldn't have been forced to trap him in the trash compactor to turn him into the cube of slag he became. As much as he hated to not regret what he did, he was loyal to Megatron first.

That didn't mean that he doesn't still want Blur beside him now.

"I called him and his mechs here because we will be going into Quintesson space or as close to it that I would be uncomfortable with only young, unexperienced bots for protection. The Decepticons hate them as much as we do and seeing as how their leader is temporarily working with us, the Cons will pause their assault on our forces, giving us the time that we need to prepare and fight the Quints."

However, " Megatron cut in. "I have a condition. I want Strika and Cyclonus to join us, as well as Starscream, on this journey-"

"Starscream is alive?" Sari asked, incredulous.

"Even when I took out the fragment of the Allspark from his forehelm, Starscream still functioned somehow, just like with his clones right here." He pointed at said clones.

Skywarp jumped out of his plating in fright. "Does this mean we're ghosts!? I'm scared of ghosts!"

"Yes, we are! Iam a ghost! I'm not scared at all!" Said Ramjet, scaring poor Skywarp even more.

"Yes!You're being a ghost so beautifully! I admire you so much!" Sunstorm, the bootlicker, praised.

Thundercracker puffed up his plating. "I am the best ghos!"

"No!" Thrust yelled. "I am the best ghost! If I can't be the best ghost, I will eliminate you so I become the best ghost!" With that, he powered up his nul-rays, Thundercracker quickly following. The bots in the room were divided by the urge to stop them and to watch the show.

"Yes, yes! Fight and destroy yourselves! Then I shall claim the title of the best ghost! Me, me and only me!" Dirge exclaimed excitedly.

"Enough!" Megatron roared and the clones shut up, all trying to cower behind the little shocked Autobots. Team Athenia certainly looked out of place, trying to point their weapons both at the seekers and at Megatron and his group.

"Wait! Why

would we need Starscream?" Arcee asked.

"Because seekers are known for forming trines and each trine ahs a leader. The minimum of each trine I three seekers. For any trine member, the trine leader is the priority when orders are given." It was Perceptor who answered, making the Autobots all look at him. "One of the reasons why Project Safeguard failed was because we created two, and not three, flying Autobots with seeker coding. Optimus Prime helped with this when I asked him to train and fly with the twins, but when he was absent for longer periods of time, they would act out to get his attention. Unfortunately, they were taunted and it turned into a fight that seriously injured a bot."

"Figures it's all Optimus's fault." Sentinel murmured, but the head of the Ministry of Science still heard.

"If I recall correctly, it is you who demanded that they act as your bodyguards and not attend all training sessions."

"We can discuss this further at another time!" Alpha Trion thundered. There was only quiet for a few seconds. He cleared his intake and turned to Megatron. "Call in Lockdown as well. We'll need more than three cyber ninjas for this."

"Three? I can only count myself!" A shocked Jazz squeaked.

"Ah,right. Forgive my manners. Would you come in now, please?" The old bot said to someone still in the corridor. The two bots that came in had everyone's jaws on the floor.

"Greetings."

"Hello."

"PROWL!?"

"MASTER YOKETRON!?"


	8. Chapter 8

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: HI! WOW! This sure is going fast! I am rather pleased with myself right now! Anyway, this chapter is going to start of easygoing, but it will turn rather angst-y and there will be some gore... The rating will slowly go up as the story goes, but for now, I ope you will enjoy this new chapter!**

 _Previously..._

 _"Call in Lockdown as well. We'll need more than three cyber ninjas for this."_

 _"Three? I can only count myself!" A shocked Jazz squeaked._

 _"Ah,right. Forgive my manners. Would you come in now, please?" The old bot said to someone still in the corridor. The two bots that came in had everyone's jaws on the floor._

 _"Greetings."_

 _"Hello."_

 _"PROWL!?"_

 _"MASTER YOKETRON!?"_

 _Now..._

''But you're dead!'' Sari yelled as she pointed at Prowl, who looked like he did his first day on Earth, only even wiser and more confident in himself. He actually looked put of place when he wasn't by Optimus's side, now. He would have probably made quite a SIC right about now.

And even though he was wearing a visor, he still managed to rise an optical ridge at Sari's exclamation. ''Yes, well... It would seem Optimus has friends in high places,'' He looked at Alpha Trion as he said this, ''Who can pull quite a few strings to get what they want or need.''

''But I saw you offline, mech! Not that I'm not happy to see you, either of you actually, but I had held your gray frame in my servos! How is this possible!?'' Jazz looked like his processor might just short-circuit at any given minute.

''That, I believe, is Alpha Trion's part of the story to explain?'' Yoketron's answer was obviously a question to the old mech, but the Archivist ignored him with an all too practiced ease. Ratchet would bet his right servo it came from dealing with Sentinel so much. Ultra Magnus wondered how many generations had pissed this ancient mechanism off for him to do it with such ease.

''It is not important right now.'' He waved it off, as if bringing two bots back from the dead was a simple, everyday thing and not a miracle.

''Actually, I would like to hear this as well.'' Megatron cut in, finally getting over his own shock. The look on his faceplates showed he was not going to budge with this and he _will_ get an explanation. The Autobots were actually thankful to the Decepticon lord, for once!

Alpha Trion sighed. ''Fine, if I must-''

''You just must.'' The gray warframe smirked. ''I insist.''

The Archivist glared as he began. ''It is the general unrest on Cybertron that had the Allspark cooperating. With its up-till-now protector completely off world, it no longer felt safe. I offered it protection and the return of its protector, as long as it gave us mack a means of getting him back safely to the planet. Needles to say, the Allspark wanted its protector of fifty-odd stellar cycles back, so it gave back the person that had assembled it and the person it had entrusted with the new frames born in its Well, meaning the protoforms Yoketron once upon a time protected and thus meaning Yoketron, as well as Prowl, were repaired in their resting places and their sparks were returned.''

''So, wait! Those that mean they'll just... offline again after we get boss-bot back?'' Bulkhead asked worriedly. They all wanted Optimus back, but they had all also missed Prowl! They didn't want to lose him again and just when they got him back.

''What do you mean, 'get Optimus back'? Where is he?'' The younger cyber ninja seemed worried and distressed. ''What happened to Optimus?'' The last question was asked with a steely voice, clearly demanding an answer and promising retribution if it wasn't.

''No, they'll live out this life as if their original had never ended.'' Alpha Trion said with a gentle voice, before turning to Prowl, who was glaring at everyone, both Autobots and Decepticons alike. It was clear he wanted to know the faith of the person who had taken him in without a second thought and called him friend even when Prowl made it clear he didn't want it. Optimus just had a way of worming his way into people's lives and becoming essential for their happiness. Optimus was the only mech beside Yoketron who wanted to give the two-wheeler a chance to be something more than what society marked him as and thus it made him the only other mech than his Mater that he was willing to follow.

And as the situation was explained to them, Prowl found himself being glad that Lockdown was going to go with them.

Everything for Optimus's return, even that fragger's flirting.

00000

Seeing that Optimus couldn't sleep a wink the previous night and only fell into uneasy, light recharge early in the morning, it was a pure miracle he had reacted as fast as he did when he heard all the alarms going off. It was testament to his long years of extensive training at the Academy that allowed him to jump out of his berth and out the berthroom with ax in one servo and a military-grade cube of energon in the other as he raced outside, where he found Primal fighting off strange beasts.

The creatures were hideous and gigantic, as big as Lugnut. They looked like bold, slimy Earth bears, but they had three tongues, eyes all over their body, purple and green veins going over their backs. Where ears would have been on a bear, there were audials that looked to be growing out of their very brains or whatever it was these types of organics had instead of CPUs and processors. There were also mechanical claws instead of their natural feet and they had big, metallic wings that were only good for gliding and not flying on their sides.

The creepiest thing about them was the single red optic that zeroed in on their prey and the laser shooter at the end of their mechanical tails.

Had he been a lesser mech, he would have run for his life and left the old bot to his doom.

However, he had faced Megatron and half of Decepticon High Command with nothing more than a group of space bridge technicians, thus he wasn't afraid of these things. Instead of running, he activated his ax and went back into the ship, found his jetpack (for some reason, Primal had predicted he might need it) then returned as fast as he could. With barely a conscious thought, Optimus was airborne as if he was protoformed with wings and laying it in hard on the creeps, as Sari would call them.

It was just as taxing as fighting Megatron had been. The things were feral and they didn't hesitate in attacking. They didn't think, just acted on instinct and that made them faster, but it also made them more vulnerable to well thought out attacks. However, because of their speed, Optimus didn't have much time to ponder all options, so he had to think on his feet, or rather flight stabilizers. Again, had he been a lesser mech, he would have lost or even fled in the middle of battle, but Optimus Prime did neither.

Every blow he landed on their heavy bodies was precise, it left varying amounts of damage and he was quick enough to avoid the beasts as they lounged at him. Suddenly, one was too close and on instinct, Optimus thought how he wanted to blast the thing far away from him-

BANG! BANG!

Optimus stared in amazement as the thing was repulsed to the forest and it didn't seem to be able to get back up on its legs. He turned his helm to look at what had been practically decorations on his shoulders, only to see the two cannon-like tubes smoking still. He was suddenly aware of the charge he could build in them and he blasted a second beast with just as much ease as he did the first. It flew just as far, but it was able to get up, if a bit shakily. His jetpack hadn't been able to do that before. Primal must have tinkered with it-

Primal!

Optimus hastily turned to look where he had last seen the Major, only to watch in horror as one beast sprung on him from behind, sinking its shark-like teeth into the older bots side and he let out an agonized scream. And in his lack of attention due to the sudden flare of pain, the other two beasts he had been fighting attacked from the from, the three creatures trying to tear him apart and devour him alive like a swarm of scraplets, the smell of fresh energon drawing the attention of the other beasts to the injured mech.

''NO!'' With a scream, Optimus launched towards his companion, slicing with his ax and firing with his new cannons, faintly aware of the beasts' howls of pain and of the sound of tiny but powerful laser fire that indicated Roller had joined in on the fight. All his optics were focused on was the pile under which the mech that was becoming his friend was under and the pain and panic the other must be feeling and he couldn't live to see another friend die. he couldn't, he couldn't, he just couldn't!

And just as suddenly as the beasts had attacked the older mech, they were blasted aside, Roller and Optimus managing to chase them away, at least for how. Optimus knelt down beside Primal, checking his wounds and feeling sick. Even if he were as skilled as Ratchet and Perceptor combined, even if he were the legendary Solus the Forge, he wouldn't have been able to save Primal. Every major energon line was torn apart, the smaller ones were damaged and leaking. He could see his fuel tanks and his spark-casing, for Primus's sake! He was missing half of his right stabilizer while the left was no where in sight, probably in one of those beasts' stomachs, Optimus's oh so helpful processor supplied. Most of the plating was either ripped or torn away and one of Primal's optics were cracked. He could even see part of his processor through the hole on his helm.

It was an ugly sight, one that would have even the most experienced war field-medic purging his tanks, but Optimus held on. He owed his friend that much.

Primal turned to look at him, even thought the movement probably caused the pains in his body to intensify. The smile on his face, although an attempt at calm, was painful and a little scared. ''Hey, kid.'' His voice was cracking, the vocalizer all but destroyed.

::Hey.:: Optimus said gently through the commlink. He wanted to stop any unnecessary pain in the last moments of his friend's functioning. It is said that it is those last moments that you keep closest to your spar, especially if you one day reincarnate. It is rare, but it has happened. Thus, Optimus wanted Primal Major to join the Allspark content and calm, so he can be like that for the rest of eternity.

::As considerate as always.:: He chuckled through the comms. ::Ah, Optimus! I have known you personally for such a short amount of time, and yet I feel like I have known you for a short eternity!:: He sighed, causing him to start coughing. It was long and ugly and Optimus panicked when he saw energon coming out of the bot's intake. ::I wish I could stay to see you mature into what you were destined to become. Now it would seem my time has come.:: He noticed Optimus's terrified stare still on the energon he had coughed up. ::It's not from the wounds.:: At the questioning look, he explained, his voice slowly getting fainter, even over the commlink. ::I have been sick for a very long time. A type of rust from one of the many planets I have visited. It is marked in the captain's log, you'll see. I want you to read them carefully and study all observations I have made in there. All the reasons for everything I have ever done is in there. But the main thing you need to know is that you have a very important and very hard choice ahead of you now.::

::A choice?:: Optimus was getting more confused and more alarmed as he saw that Primal's optics were starting to flicker. The mech obviously didn't have much time left and Optimus's poor spark was already starting to mourn. The Prime didn't allow it to. Primal was still alive, if barely. There will be plenty of time to mourn him after... Optimus shook his helm and refocused on the last conversation he will ever have with Primal in the land of the living. ::A choice in what?::

::A choice in what you will do now.:: The mech said tiredly. ::You studied history long before I picked you up, and now you have an entire archive just to yourself, but not an infinite amount of time. I want you to learn every single datapad in there, very carefully, as soon as you can. I want you to use the knowledge stored there responsibly and for the good of our _whole_ race. And I want you to know a secret I have never told anyone.::

::I promise to do all those things. By the Allspark and by Primus, I will honor your last wish!::

Primal smiled a little at that. His spark was already strained and he was cold, but the bot beside him was a warm beacon Primus had promised all his children and he didn't feel alone or frightened. ::Alpha Supreme... I never activated his coding.::

A pause.

::What do you mean?:: There was clear shock in the kid's voice, yet he didn't allow his face to show that emotion. Good. He'll need that, both as a captain and on the battlefield. He must rely on himself to not show weakness in front of enemies and not just his battle-mask.

::When I was chosen for the project, I had one of my crew, a close friend and the best hacker in the damn Universe she was, hack into the top secret files and I found out that the Omega Sentinels will stay virtually sparklings for the whole duration of their functioning. And I was meant to lead on into a war.::

::And you couldn't allow yourself to do that.:: It was not a question, yet Primal still nodded, even if it hurt like pit.

::So I had her do a bit more hacking and a bit more tinkering. We managed to make it appear as if Alpha was brought online, but it was decided he had a glitch because his responses were slower than the other Supremes. After all, even after observing the others wake up, we couldn't mimic life, no matter how hard we tried. My crew and I... we fought the old fashion style. I had all the codes but we had to do everything... manually. We won quite a few battles and we were proud of ourselves. Then we were suddenly falling into that black hole, its suction taking our energy away. My crew, they... They gave their lives for mine and Alpha's. They offlined helping me operate a trans-warp to the other side of the Universe, and none of them minded. They said they did the right thing. That I was right in trying to save a sparkling... I watched them offline with smiles on their faceplates...::

Optimus took Primal's less injured servo into his and squeezed lightly, offering what comfort he could. Primal smiled and offlined his optics, just for a second. It was so hard to online them again, but he had to. He had to tell this to Optimus. The young Prime needed to know.

::After I woke up, I was ready to detonate the damned ship. They were my friends, a few of them even my Amica Edurna, slag it all! But then Primus entered my recharge cycle. He informed me that one of his children will come and will need my help. He gave me a mission, a mission to find something, but to never retrieve it. Just to find it and note its position, to remember its coordinates. I then had to find that bot he was talking about. He gave me clues. I had to find that bot. And it took so long to first find that something, then I had to wait for vorns and vorns on end. And then I heard of you!:: A sigh. ::And then you disappeared.::

::And you had to wait another 50 years.::

::Yeah, but it was worth it. The only fear I had was of this damn rust taking me before I could reach you. And now that you are here, I can give you the mission Primus bestowed upon me to relate to you.:: He took Optimus by the shoulders weakly and drew the shocked Prime nearer. ::The coordinates are on the star map in the captain's cabin. I never used that place but to take the pads for the captain's log and to write those coordinates and once or twice to visit Alpha's spark chamber-::

::Yeah, I found it.:: Optimus interrupted, seeing that the old bot was tiring himself out more than necessary.

He smiled again. ::Of course you did. And now...:: He opened the plating in the middle of his forehelm. ::Now, I give the codes to you. How you use them, weather you will activated Alpha Supreme or if you will leave him here forever, weather he becomes your slave or your friend, weather you use him in war or if you run away with him... It is your choice, Optimus Prime.:: The transfer started and ended before Optimus could object. ::I have faith in you:: He struggled and reset his vocalizer six time, his optics getting darker and darker with every second. ''My friend.''

With those last words, Primal Major offlined, his optics going dark forever.

Optimus was not aware of Roller's concerned and mournful beeping beside him. He was not aware of the shrieks of pain from the beasts that had attacked them as they ran into the phoenix like creatures that lived in the woods a little further away. He didn't register the fire taking up the forest, nor the smoke slowly cogging his vents. All he could see was his offlined friend and think of Elita One, of Prowl...

A broken keen left Optimus's vocalizer as he mourned another lost friend.


	9. Chapter 9

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 _Previously..._

 _Optimus was not aware of Roller's concerned and mournful beeping beside him. He was not aware of the shrieks of pain from the beasts that had attacked them as they ran into the phoenix like creatures that lived in the woods a little further away. He didn't register the fire taking up the forest, nor the smoke slowly cogging his vents. All he could see was his offlined friend and think of Elita One, of Prowl..._

 _A broken keen left Optimus's vocalizer as he mourned another lost friend._

 _Now..._

How long he stood over his dead friend's form, keening like a lost sprakling, Optimus didn't know.

All he did know was that he felt empty.

Another bot had died while he could have done something, when he could have saved them. He didn't know why Primal Major thought he would be a good tutor bot for Alpha Supreme. It was obvious that even thought the two had never bonded like Ratchet had done with Omega, the old bot loved the shipformer. It didn't make sense in the young Prime's processor.

He was a failure in everything he tried to do. The only thing he is good for is being a model for all future Academy cadets, to inspire them to enter and die in a truly, relatively pointless war. Suddenly, he was angry. At himself, at Ultra Magnus, at Sentinel, at the Council... But mostly at himself. He was the one that allowed them to do what they wished with him! He should have protested! Should have said no!

The best and closest to that that he had done was stand up for Megatron!

Oh, slag! Megatron!

Optimus realized that he had been bot-napped on the day he should have started participating actively in Megatron's trail! What had the Councilmech that had supported him on that day thought when the very next day, when he was invited and welcome, he didn't turn up!? They probably thought he was only trying to get their attention! Oh, fraging Primus, Sentinel will never let him live this down! And no one will ever take him seriously ever again! He'll never be able to pull of that stunt that had gotten him into the trail in the first place! They'll probably turn Megatron into a slave just to spite him, too! As if the Warlord needed any more reason to hate him!

Optimus let out a keen anew as he realized his life had only gotten even worse.

And then he realized just how selfish he was being. His friend had just offlined, Megatron might be a slave right about now and all he cared about was himself and his stupid reputation! He started squeezing his sensitive audial receptors, using the pain to ground himself. He needed a clear processor right now. He needed to decide what to do ow. He and Roller were stuck on a planet he knew very little about, in forest some of those beasts were sure to have survived and he didn't know yet what they were... Primal said he will have most of his answered in either the captain's log or in the library.

And there was the matter of Alpha Supreme he had to deal with. He had just been saddled with a giant weapon of mass destruction with the processor of a never-maturing sparkling. It's not going to be like taking care of Sari and Bumblebee, or like explaining things to Bulkhead, nor it will be like meditating with Prowl when he needs to calm the shipformer down... He still wasn't sure if he wanted to online the mech. Primal was right. It would be the same as sending a sparkling into a battlefield, only this sparkling the Decepticons wont hesitate to fire on.

Optimus shook off those musings.

First things first, he had to bury his friend with all the dignity and respect he deserved.

And then he'll huddle up in that soft berth, hold Roller close and keen and cry until he eventually destroys the pillow-mesh from the sparks leaking from his optics.

As the humans say, he'll sleep on it and with a fresh processor, he'll decide weather he's up to raising a weapon of mass-destruction and he'll even rething weather he wants to be part of this war or of either faction.

It was about time someone started trying to unite Cybertron's people.

00000

When Megatron called Strike, she answered after only two astroseconds. The joy on her faceplates was obvious when she saw her lord and it only grew when she saw the rest of the Cons who had been with him. Then it all went to pit when she saw the Autobots.

''My Lord?'' There was so many questions behind those two simple words.

Megatron smirked. ''Strika, it is a pleasure to see you, like always.''

''My Lady Strika! I am here as well, guarding our glorious leader! Do not fret! I will not let anyone hurt magnificent Lord Megatron while I still function, my dearest general! I swear this on my very spa-''

''Shut up, Lugnut.'' They both said it so calmly and in such perfect timing of each other that the assembled Autobots had to wonder how much they said it on a daily basis to be so well practiced in it. The look on Shockwaves face said 'Don't ask'.

''It would seem that we have to ally with the grounders for a short period of time, Strika. You see...''

As Megatron explained the situation with the help of Shockwave and Alpha Trion ,since everyone else was scared to slag of the infamous Decepticon General of Destruction, Bumblebee and Sari couldn't help but comment on said Decepticon General of Destruction.

''That's a lady?!''

''I know! We were shown her picture when Bulk and I were trying out for the Academy and all that slag and I couldn't believe she was a femme! I mean, look at her! We saw that female Starscream clone, whatever her name was, and it was almost clear she was a femme, but I wouldn't recognize Strika for a femmebot if you painted the words in neon pink on her plating!''

''I mean, if she's a female Cybertronian, should she resemble Arcee or Blackarachnia?''

''I know! You know, I heard that this one time a Nebulon minister mistook her for-''

''You do know that although I may not be there, I _can still **hear** you_!'' The sudden interruption in the mission briefing had Sari and Bee jumping to the ceiling and falling on their butt and aft.

''I'm so sorry! Please don't slag me!'' Bumblebee yelled, shielding his head as if expecting a blow.

Sari kept wisely quiet.

Ratchet put his face into his right servo and shook his head. ''Slag it all, Bumblebee!'' He then looked at the equally exasperated Magnus. ''This is why we need Optimus. The only one with political skills worth speaking off.''

Team Athenia and Cliffjumper looked ready to leak, Sentinel was barely fearing any better and Jazz looked ready to defend himself should a fight start. Prowl and Yoketron didn't change their stances, thought their servos slowly crept to their weapons.

Then the Decepticons burst out laughing, definitely enjoying the jumpiness of the little Autotbot assembly.

''Relax, I'm just pulling your stabilizer! I couldn't care less what a protoform thought of me! Now, if it were a worthy opponent that thought of me as such, I would show him why even the DJD fear me!'' She puffed up her plating in pride, causing Lugnut to start another ode to her magnificence, although it wasn't anything as grand as the ones he made for Megatron. One would think that one's Conjunx Endura was dearer than your commander... But, the Decepticons were a strange folk and these two mechanisms, beside Shockwave, were known as two of the three most loyal to the Decepticon Cause and to the Decepticon Lord himself.

''What is DJD?'' Sari asked, and almost everyone in the room shuddered and for a moment only the rattling of plating was heard.

''The Decepticon Justice Division. They're a group known for hunting down all defectors or traitors of the 'magnificent' Cause.'' Ratchet even did the whole air quotes thing he had picked up on Earth, making Sari giggle. The laughter died in her throat as he explained all the terrible things the group, and especially the Phase Sixers, did and did so willingly. ''Everyone fears them. If the DJD hear of you-''

''You're a dead mech walking, and you won't be walkin' much longer.'' A voice from the window said and in dropped Lockdown, startling everyone. ''While if you have a bounty on your head, the buyer can dictate your faith, if the DJD learn of you, then not even Primus himself can save you. There's a rumor that they once blew up a whole planet because they reported Decepticon activity to the Galactic Council, and thus the Autobots. And it was quite a big planet. Much of the Universe watched the fireworks.''

''Just how did you get in here!?'' Sentinel yelled after he got over his fright.

''A good bounty hunter never reveals his tricks. Oh, hello!'' Lockdown's red optics widened then flashed with interest upon seeing his old master and the hot little two-wheeler he got his optic on, who should both be dead.

''Explain later.'' It was an order, and Prowl was more than appalled that it was directed at him!

''So, it is decided that you will meet us at the space port, where we will all board the ships and get going. You'll bring Cyclonus and Starscream. Tell him this is his last chance at not only freedom but also at redemption, and that includes being erased from DJD's traitor list.''

''You're going rather far with all this, just for one Autobot Prime, no matter how good a warrior he is, Lord Megatron.'' It was as much a challenge as Strika would dare pose in front of Autobots, but those who were more observant still heard it. Megatron scowled, but was cut off before he could even open his intake.

''I am calling in a favor, General, if you would please.'' Everyone turned to stare at Alpha Trion until they heard and annoyed growl from Strika.

''Fine!'' She snapped. ''You're worse than the Zombains when it comes to collecting the boons! Slagger. Fine! But you owe me a cube of high grade for this!''

Alpha Trion smirked. ''I will arrange for it to be waiting for you when you land.''

The femme glared a bit more at him, then turned to her lord and bid him a respectful farewell before hanging up. Everyone turned to stare at the old mech once more. ''It's an old, long story I will not share without the lady's permission.''

''Aww!'' The younger bots all complained, only for Team Athenia realize they were trying to share gossip about Decepticons with actual Decepticons in the room. They went ignored.

''I think we should pick up my dad for the trip. He'd be good help for Ratchet and, um Red Alert?'' The femme nodded. ''He'd be good help in the med bay.''

''I have nothing against that, as long as he stays away from me.'' Megatron thundered. ''The safety on my cannon might slip.''

''Oh yeah?! Well so might the safeties on the weapons the Allspark gave me if you so much as loo-''

Before Sari's threat was finished, one of the Intelligence agents burst through the door, a disbelieving look on his faceplate. ''Sit, Ultra Magnus! You won't believe the signal we're getting!''

The Commander got to his feet. ''What is it? Is it the Quintessons?!''

The bot made a motion that indicated he wanted them to follow him. ''IT'S BETTER IF YOU SEE FOR YOURSELF!'' He yelled as he transformed and hurried off, the Magnus hastily going after him. The other exchanged glances and followed him.

00000

When Optimus woke up that morning with a dream still fresh in his processor, he knew what he had to do.

So he got up, refueled, read the coordinates he now had the codes for and told Roller to wait in the bridge and not panic if something strange happens.

And now that he stood before the giant spark chamber, Optimus had never been more sure of some decision than he was now.

Rising his hands, he accessed the codes Primal Major had given him and inputed them directly into the panel next to the opening to the spark chamber. The doors slid open and the fluxed of the sleeping spark reached for him, making him shudder as he opened his own spark to the still dormant shipformer that was slowly waking up. Optimus closed his optics as he felt that simple curious consciousness waking up and exploring some of his base programing, latching onto the codes and familiarizing itself with his spark-signature.

Then something snapped, and Optimus was back in his own processor, staring at a fully active spark as the giant mech did systems checks.

Then he spoke. His voice shook the whole ship as he introduced himself to Optimus Prime.

''I am Alpha Supreme. Yours to command; you pupil, dependent and servant. Where you go, I shall follow. What you say, I will obey.''

Optimus understood now what Ratchet must have felt at such an introduction and realized why there was only one appropriate response.

''I am Optimus Prime. Your friend.''

00000

When they arrived at the Intelligence office, it was in utter chaos. The agents were fluttering around, checking something on one screen, then looking at some datapads from the war. Ratchet and Ultra were both confused and disturbed to see records from the project Omega, an project whose files had not seen Haden's light since its start and ending. There was an entire list, all the names of the Sentinels and their mentorbots, including Arcee, who had never gotten the chance to become one in the first place. Their deaths were coldly recorded and staring the two mentors in the faceplates, making them wince in sympathy. Even Perceptor looked uncomfortable with all this information now staring him in the face, while to Wheeljack it was like a kick to the tanks. Megatron just looked at the pictures of great battles, remembered the lost sparks and the lengths to which Blackout had had to go to eliminate them and he felt both pride and loss. The youngsters could only gawk at the display of history before them.

It made Alpha Trion almost sick to his tanks to realize this information will never again be displayed like this and that Optimus will never see it.

''Ultra Magnus, sir!'' All the bots paused long enough to salute and then went back to work. A single mech came forward and saluted a second time to the Magnus, then greeted Perceptor with a nod. ''We believed you would want to see this, seeing as you were... a part of this... um, project.'' He gestured to a blue and ping femme to start up the big screen and she nodded at him. In seconds, the whole room was quiet and focused on the signal displayed on the screen.

''What am I looking at?'' Ultra Magnus asked even as Perceptor and Wheeljack stepped closer, frowning at something.

''This is not possible.'' The Head of Ministry of Science's monotone voice actually held a hint of incredulity in it. ''These readings must be fake.''

''There could be a glitch in the system. But this... No, Perceptor is right. This is not possible!'' Wheeljack agreed, shaking his head and refusing to believe what his optics were telling him.

''It's not. A glitch, I mean!'' The bot said as he walked over to one of the counsels and picked a datapad up. ''As soon as we saw what the signal was, we checked our systems. We found no glitch and not outside forces messing with the systems. The computers are in prime condition, the sensors are precise enough that this could not possibly be mistaken nor faked to such a degree that we wouldn't recognize tempering. We just needed confirmation from our two specialists who had worked on the project, and we just got it.'' He looked directly at Ratchet and Ultra Magnus. ''It's real, sir.''

''What is?''

''Yeah! What the slag is going on!?'' Ratchet chimed in. The others looked at the bot and he squirmed a bit.

''That signal is one we recorded only twelve times. When each of you bonded with your Sentinel, a signal was sent to one of out many sensors and we registered the full activation of their sparks. There were twelve Omega Sentinels and the Lugnut Supremes do not possess sparks, so it could not be from them.'' Perceptor explained.

''But like every normal spark has its own unique frequency and harmonics, their's did too.'' Wheeljack continued. ''Every signal was slightly altered because of this, so we could easily see which one had onlined when, as well as when each of them had offlined. This signal has not been seen since the Silver War...''

''It is a bit different. It has always been a bit unstable, but so had the Supreme been, too, so we had just attributed it to a glitch. He was a bit slow, too. His mentor was even less comfortable with becoming so than you were, Medical Officer Ratchet. We had suspected that it was the interference of the sucking forces of the black hole that had led to our sensors never detecting the moment he offlined, so we had labeled him offline manually.''

''Wait just a moment!'' Ratchet exclaimed as he stalked over to the monitors and looked down at them. ''Are you trying to tell me you left a bot and an Omega Sentinel high and dry without ever checking if they truly offlined?!''

''Typical Autobot behaviors!'' Blitzwing's Angry persona spat, making most of the bots in the room flinch.

''We presumed-''

''You should never presume.'' Lockdown said as he pretended to examine his hook while he was really checking Prowl out.

''The scans, what are they showing?'' Yoketron asked calmly even as he raised an optical ridge at his former student eying his greatest student up and down. Just how many things had changed that Prowl seemed to be forcing himself not to show his embarrassment at the attention?

''They are showing that an Omega Sentinel had just onlined somewhere on one of Seo's moons.''

''So! It could mean that another Supreme simply woke up, like Omega Supreme did!'' Sentinel said arrogantly. Really, this was all such a waste of time. First the whole Optimus business, then they were negotiating a ceasefire with the Decepticons because of the Quintessons and now this! So what! Bots tens of times smaller than the Omega Sentinels walked off some pretty serious damage all the times! Just look at Rodimus! He was hit by Cosmic Rust and he was already fit for duty! Or even Ultra Magnus! So what if another shipformer woke up after a long nap! It would just make their military forces stronger! That should be a good thing, right?

''I don't think you understand.'' Perceptor said. ''Omega Supreme wasn't the first of the Sentinels to fall into emergency stasis lock because of damage and then wake up after some time, although his damage had been the worst and that had been the only way to save his strained spark. Others had went into stasis and when they woke up, we would register their signals coming back online. This,'' He pointed at the signal on the big screen. ''THIS means that an Omega Sentinel had just been brought online. For the first time. Ever.''

Everyone stared at Perceptor.

''But I thought all the Supremes fought in the war and offlined in the war?'' Jazz asked. He looked confused and a bit worried that he said something stupid, but if there was one thing he learned from Optimus, it was that it was better to say something others mat consider stupid if it was the truth, especially crucial truth. He will never again ignore what others said just because someone of higher rank said it was nonsense. Nor will he believe everything he heard.

''They did. How is it possible that a Supreme wasn't onlined?!'' The Magnus's voice stroke fear into the sparks of the Autobots in the room. All except Optimus Prime's team, who had faced Decepticons and lived to tell the tale.

''Which Supreme is it?'' Prowl asked. They needed to know what they were up against.

''Alpha Supreme.'' Alpha Trion answered. Most of the room looked at him. ''Only one of the Sentinels was reported to have fallen into a black hole! Do none of you know any of your planet's history?!'' He asked incredulously.

''Nah, that's boss-bot's specialty!'' Bumblebee said cheerfully, as if it was something to be proud of. Only fools are proud of something a smart person would be ashamed of. The Archivist shook his head in exasperation.

''What is the excuse for the rest of you?''

''I know what happened. I was around back then, after all.'' Megatron said and crossed his arms. The rest of the Decepticons, excusing the clones, nodded, as did Ratchet, Perceptor, Wheeljack and Ultra Magnus. The rest of the young bots mumbled something and Sari just shrugged. ''Never mind.''

''He is right. It is not important right now. What does this mean?'' Ultra asked, looking at everyone at large.

''This means that someone hacked us and faked an Omega Sentinel's onlining. Alpha Supreme has never been activated, a crew controlled all his movements and that captain must have been in on it, meaning that Primal Major could be considered a traitor.'' The Agent that had gotten then said plainly.

''And it means that he either changed his mind...'' Wheeljack started.

''Or someone else now has those codes and has activated a weapon of mass destruction.'' Ratchet said, horrified at the implications. So much chaos could be caused by a single Supreme that, once, a planet was destroyed.

''It is possible he gave those codes willingly.'' Alpha Trion said.

''Why would you think that, Alpha Trion?'' Megtron asked. The old bot better be direct. He was getting tired of all the mystery solving! He just wanted to get the little Prime back so he could try his servo at wooing the pretty little Autobot.

''Because he once told me he didn't want to take a sparkling to the front lines, and we all know that the Omega Sentinels will always be just that. Sparklings, because their processor was not built with the intention of developing.''

Utter silence.

''Are you saying that he was looking for someone who would take Alpha Supreme away from war?'' Prowl asked. It couldn't be, right? That that person was who he so desperately tried to stop is spark from hoping it was?

''That is exactly what I am saying. And I think I know who he has chosen.'' Alpha Trion then stormed up to one of the consuls and accessed a file. It showed Optimus Prime from his Academy days and his basic information, including the reason for his dropping out of the ranks of the Elite Guard and his victory on Earth. He entered a password and a new section opened, written in a language no one but the old Archivist could understand. It just looked ancient.

Then the bot was cursing up a storm in a dialect long forgotten as he saw that the files had been entered recently.

''When I get my servos on him, Primal Major will wish Primus had never decided to throw him into the same time-frame as me!''

00000

''I am Optimus Prime. Your friend.''

''What is a ... friend?'' The shipformer sounded as confused as he was curious. Optimus knew that he probably shouldn't, that it was probably wrong in more ways than he could think of, but he actually find him a bit... cute. As cute as a giant weapon of mass-destruction made to wage war on Decepticons can be, anyway. Optimus snorted. If Ratchet were hear to hear him, he'd probably demand the young Prime to get a throughout examination of his CPU and a lot of rest.

''A friend is someone you care about and who cares about you in return. You trust a friend and share your secrets with them because of that trust. You protect your friends and they protect you. You help them and then your friend helps you when you need it. You comfort them and they do the same to you. You play and study and train together and do lots of other both pleasant and unpleasant things together. A friend is a companion you can always rely on.'' Optimus explained slowly, letting the big bot get used to his voice. He could see a camera focusing in on him from the edge of his optic and turned to look at it, allowing Alpha to see his mentor and new friend fully. ''The other bot, a Minicon, in the bridge... He's Roller, and he and I have been friends since I was a sparkling. And now, if you would like, you could be our friend, too?'' Optimus grinned.

A pause. ''I would... like that very much, Optimus Prime.''

His grin only widened. ''Optimus is for friends, Alpha.''

''Alright... Optimus.''

His optics twinkled and he ran a servo gently over the giant spark casing.

''It's time we get ready for our trip, my friend. We have a long journey ahead of us.''

His only answer was the heating up of flight systems and the start of powerful engines.


	10. Chapter 10

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: And the journey begins!**

Optimus felt strangely gleeful as he looked over the star maps Primal had left him.

It had been only a couple of Earth hours since Alpha's come online and already he, Roller and Optimus were as thick as thieves, as the humans would say. He had had to update Alpha's systems to understand the binary speech of Minicons for the shipformer to understand Roller, but the Minicon hadn't been offended that Alpha hadn't been able to understand him. After all, most bots had to adjust their linguistic programs in other to communicate with Minicons. Roller knew that not everyone was like Optimus Prime, who seemed to be able to adjust instinctively to any dialect on Cybertron in seconds of hearing the first words being spoken.

Optimus had taken the map from the captain's cabin into consideration and noted that they had quite a ways to go before they could reach their unknown destination. He still hadn't had the time to even start reading Primal's logs, seeing as he had to explain everything to Alpha. He found it strange that it didn't annoy him. Sure, he was a patient bot, his patience could rival both Jazz and Prowl's combined patience when he put his CPU to it, but he was sure even they would have gotten at least a bit ticked by now.

Instead, he found it endearing. He liked telling the big bot things no one had patience or interest enough in to listen to him talk for joors on end. He talked about everything: history, Cybertronian psychology and biology, the great war, the Omega Sentinels, the Decepticons and the Autobots, the Quintessons and all the other species, about Earth and humanity, about his team, about the clones, the Lugnut Supremes (he had to explain why they were called that and why they weren't like Alpha or the other Supremes, as well as that they no longer existed, which brought new topics), about facts and fiction, about myths, about Primus and Unicron, about the Gladiatorial pits and the Senate... He hid nothing, deciding to teach Alpha everything and let him make his own opinion on things. There were just so many tings he could tell him and tell him he did.

And Alpha listened. Listened and asked questions and then listened to those explanations.

And although all that talk slowed them down, Optimus found he didn't mind. He had told Alpha how they came to be together and the shipformer had taken to scanning the forest in case those beasts came back. He had even helped Optimus fin out what they were and their discovery worried him. They were Quintesson creations that the squids had made in labs and were quite well known to be sent after anyone the cyborgs thought of as a possible threat. Optimus couldn't think of why his now offlined friend would be considered a danger but it probably had something to do both with Alpha Supreme and the mission he had given Optimus.

And after half a day, Optimus found that they were finally ready for liftoff! And just in time. Optimus had been right. A few of those beasts, the Qvotus as they were registered, had survived and had returned to finish what they had started. They lunged at the ship just as Alpha powered up his massive engines and they took off. Optimus commanded him to activate his weapons systems and fire at the things, for once not caring about sparing lives. Those things had caused the death of yet another once of his friends so he wasn't feeling very merciful towards them. And not to mention that their sharp metallic claws would injure Alpha, so it was better this way.

The Qvotus stood no chance against Alpha's weapons and before Optimus could reset his optics, they were in the moons orbit and quickly flying out of it. He whooped, laughing as Roller struggled to stay on his little stabilizers as the ascended, their speed growing and the ride getting smoother as they exited the gravity field and the atmosphere of the little organic moon. Optimus couldn't believe how free he felt! It was almost like he was flying again!

He stopped laughing long enough to tell Alpha to trans-warp to the coordinates they needed.

He whooped again as Roller squeeked when they lurched with the transportation.

A half a klik later, the red and blue form of Alpha Supreme was no longer outside Quintesson space.

00000

''Sir! We've just detected a warp signature and it looks like they landed into Quintesson space! It came from the almost same location as where we've detected the activation of Alpha Supre- DEAR PRIMUS!'' The Intelligence agent that had ran out to make his report stopped and started cowering in his place as he saw the massive forms of three Decepticons landing in front of their Lord and master.

Alpha Trion reached into his subspace and gave the only femme in the group a cube of High Grade. ''As promised.''

''You piss me off, but I like you, Trion.'' Strika said and downed the cube in one long intake. ''Ah! Iaconina High Grade, better than even Vos's visco!''

''Hey! I heard that!'' Strscream screeched indignantly.

He was expertly ignored.

''So, what's so special about the little slagger that you are ready to face the squids for him?''

Alpha Trion huffed. ''Get in line. You're not the first one to ask me this.'' He gestured at all the bots that were pretending to be doing anything else but actually eavesdropping. When Strika looked at them, they all scrambled to do something else that required them to be anywhere but near the infamous General of Destruction.

''There, no line.'' She turned back to the old bot, making him laugh like rarely anyone has heard him in many, many vorns. The only exception was not here to witness it happen in front of all these bots. Optimus would have been glad to see his mentor so happy. The thought caused Trion to sober up faster than the speed of light. Strika would never admit it, but she was concerned for the old bot. He was older than anyone, rumors even said he was born in the first generation of their race and they were a long living race, the first in the cosmos, really. Some said Alpha Trion met and knew all the Primes, the very first of their kind created from Primus's own plating and Spark, long before the Allspark came into existence, to battle Unicron with Primus. And they said old Alpha knew them. It wasn't good for a bot even half his age to worry so much, and Strika didn't even believe half the rumors! Sure, the bot was old, but he was durable. He looked younger and better maintained then some Decepticons ten times younger than him, or even the Magnus and the old medic. And Decepticons were made to endure long wars and sieges, to last in space or on organic worlds with rust barely touching their gears.

Yet, here he was, looking younger than them all. Even with everything he had seen, he was still in better condition than most much younger mechs.

But with the disappearance of one little Prime, he suddenly looked twice as old as he should in his old age.

Even if Lord Megatron had not wanted to find the mech as much as he seemed to want, Strika knew that she would at least lend some help to this old mech. Optimus Prime would be found, if only so Alpha Trion would look like his normal self and not this old mech standing before her.

The one who had saved her from becoming the slave of Quintessons and helped her heal would not look this defeated.

Never.

Not as long as Strika's spark was free and online!

00000

As he sat in the captains chair on the bridge, looking out at the wast space in front of them, Optimus couldn't help but feel at peace.

He was holding a datapad in one of his servos, the other idly playing with an energon candy on the tray that Roller had found and brought him. The Minicon had insisted that he take a few, even though Optimus thought it was a waste of energon. But apparently Primal had accounted for Optimus's once apon a time sweet tooth he had had to surpass when he entered the Academy since the rations there were meant to prepare them for sieges and wartime. He still got a few candies from Alpha Trion every time he went to visit the old bot, and no matter how much he protested, the Archivist still got him new goodies every single time he came by.

Now he had half a storage closet filled with nothing but energon goodies, candies and high grade.

There was a separate storage room for mid-grade and low-grade energon and the medical bay had its own storage of medical-grade energon for the sick and the injured. It was also stacked with everything any medic might dream of in his own med bay. Optimus was sure that Ratchet would call it heaven on earth, as the human saying goes, and would never leave it, had it not been for Omega. It made him smile, thinking that he now understood his grumpy teammate in a way rarely anyone ever could.

Optimus sighed. Thinking of his team made him miss them more than he already did. He was sure Sari and Bumblebee would enjoy the rec-room on Alpha. After all, it had a giant screen and every type of entertainment system that had been invented anywhere in the Universe from the last five centuries at the very least. Bulkhead would probably like the gallery they had here. It seems that Primal had quite an optic for art.

And he like organic and none-organic plants. He had a little room set up with both crystals from Praxus and Iacon and various organic greenery that Optimus couldn't wait to read about! The smell in that room was the most pleasant he had ever felt with his olfactory sensors. And the crystals' song created such harmony, he could spend his entire life in that room, especially if he had a few thousand datapads to keep him occupied and some energon. He was sure both Jazz and Prowl would love this room.

A cold, familiar pang rang in his spark as he thought of his offlined cyber ninja friend.

However, he didn't get a chance to wallow in his own self misery when the proximity sensors and Alpha's alarms blared to life. Optimus sprang up in his seat, looking at the screen in front of him as the shipformer's voice rang around them.

''Intruder alert! Autobots in danger! Unknown Decepticons approaching!''

On the screen in front of them, Optimus and Roller could see a huge form, but still clearly a mech, heading at them at top speed. They were still too far away to make out the identity of the mech, but it was a well known fact that Autobots didn't fly and were at least a little less bulky than this figure. Then, when they were well within weapons range, the figure split in two and started doing stunts that Optimus knew only two bots to use as battle maneuvers.

''Weapons systems down, Alpha! They're not Decepticons.''

The shipformer did as told, trusting Optimus's judgment. ''But... there are no flying Autobots.''

Optimus smiled, but he was still worried. ''Actually...''

Just what were they doing all the way out here?


	11. Chapter 11

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 _Previously..._

 _''Weapons systems down, Alpha! They're not Decepticons.''_

 _The shipformer did as told, trusting Optimus's judgment. ''But... there are no flying Autobots.''_

 _Optimus smiled, but he was still worried. ''Actually...''_

 _Now..._

''SIR!?'' The Jettwins, if excited, were still mostly confused to see their friend on a ship they had approached in desperation. They were extremely low on energon, Jetfire had been injured when they were leaving Cybertron and Jetstorm had damaged his audial receptor so he couldn't use his commlink. When they had seen the huge ship, as big as Omega Supreme and the Steelhaven, but with no Autobot brands, they had thought there might be someone there who would give them a little help.

To see Optimus Prime, Cybertron's young hero and their most favorite person in the whole wide Universe, leave the landing hatch to personally greet them and escort them back into the ship, they were shocked beyond words. They had so many questions, one being what the red and blue bot was doing in Quintesson space and why he hadn't been there to stop the others from picking on the twins. They knew that they shouldn't ask that latter, but it had hurt. Optimus had always been there for them, then he had disappeared for a few days and in that time, they were exiled. Jetfire was even hurt because the Autobots had opened fire when they had waited for Optimus to show up, if not to stop them from being called traitors, then to at least say goodbye to them.

''What are you two doing out here?'' Optimus asked them as he sat them in the med bay, Roller going out to fetch a few cubes. ''This is far too deep in Quintesson space for you to be on a mission for the Elite Guard.''

The twins exchanged weird looks. Didn't he know? Did that mean he hadn't come after them, too?

''We not work for Elite Guard anymore.''

''Yeah. We exiled from planet.''

''WHAT!?'' Optimus yelled, startling the youngsters. ''Since when?! Why?!''

This just confused them more. Didn't everyone know by now?

''Got in a fight with officer.''

''He hurt, but online.''

''They say we Decepticons.''

''Said our code is corrupt.''

''What!'' He exlaimed, calming down when he aw that the Jettwins were getting uncomfortable with the loud volume of his voice. ''Sorry, it's just that I can't believe they would do something like this.'' He took a few vents and started working on Jetfire. His left pede was sparking occasionally. It must hurt quite a bit. Optimus wondered how he had made it this deep into Quintesson space with such an injury. ''When did this happen?'' He asked a lot more calmly and was satesfied when the twins relaxed and started drinking the energon brought to them by Roller.

''A couple of days before the had to leave the day before it started.''

Optimus winced. ''So it happened when I was in the Archives, trying to find a way to stop a possible war with the Quints.'' When the kids looked alarmed, Optimus explained the whole thing. They had been there for the argument between Ultra Magnus and Alpha Trion, but not for the trail. They didn't know of what Megatron had promised would happen before he let his Decepticons become slaves.

When the story finished, the twins were stunned. Optimus worked in silence as they finished their energon and was then startled when they jumped out of their seats and hugged them as hard as they could without hurting him. They started apologizing for thinking he had abandoned them, apologizing for disappointing him and for hurting that mech and all Optimus could do was stroke their backstruts and promise everything would be alright.

And he could and would keep that promise.

After all, he was going to adopt them as his crew, on his ship.

''It's alright. You can stay here as long as you wish.''

It gave them pause and they looked up at him, surprised, before they both gripped him tighter and started shaking from both grief at their lost home and at the relief that someone still wanted them.

00000

When they departed from Cybertron, the Quints were already at the edge of the galaxy.

It made Megatron wonder why they had waited this long to try again. It has been centuries since they had tried last time and they had been half successful back then. Had it not been for warbuilds, Cybertron would have been a colony long ago and they probably still wouldn't have been able to free themselves. Megatron still thought it nothing but a myth, an urban legend, that warframe that had went alone and blown up two thirds of Quintesson population by himself. There was no way anyone, even a Decepticon, could do that all alone!

Then again, Optimus Prime had essentially single handedly defeated Megatron and his three Lugnut Supremes. Sure, the now revived cyber ninja had helped, along with the rest of his little crew and Omega Supreme, but no Autobot can stand up to a Decepticon without some aids. And no creature, Cybertronion or not, warframe or civilianframe, can stand up to one, let alone three Omega Sentinels! Yet Optimus Prime had done it, Magnus Hammer in servo and a jetpack oh his back, going head to head with Megatron all the while. It had earned him Megatron's attention and the admiration of both Autobots and Decepticons, even though most of his soldiers would never admit it. Not on the pain of deactivation!

Megatron snorted as he thought about his troops' pride and arrogance. Sure, the Decepticons were rather cruel and feral by Autobot standards, but they were created for fighting brutal wars, not cuddle their weaker counterparts, no matter what the Council of the old had thought and tried to achieve. Decepticons had a different code of honor and moral than Autobots, but that shouldn't make them into monsters like the propaganda videos suggested! They could still love and make bonds and they also wanted families and a home.

And home was Cybertron. Always has been, always will be.

Thinking about all this reminded him of why he was helping the old bot in the first place. Alpha Trion had come into Trypticon, ready to raise the Pits so he could get his little protege back. Nobot had dared stand in his way as he marched up to Megatron, The ensuring conversation still baffled the warlord. It was as if Trion knew everything he was going to say long before Megatron even thought up the answer in his CPU. Then he was released, as well as all the other Decepticons Alpha Trion had deemed would be useful in this mission and they were free!

Lugnut had tried charging the old bot when he ordered them to follow him, but Trion had turned around and grabbed Lugnut's outstretched servos and tugged, then bent the left one below his armpit, the other going under Lugnut's own. Then Trion had took two quick steps back and kicked at the bigger bot's right knee and brought his other foot next to the Decepticon's now kneeling knee. He then freed one of his servos, Lugnut's still in a strangely ancient looking technique for a locked hold and put his hand firmly on the base of the purple and green's bot, making him instinctively freeze up.

Unruly young flightframes knew that gesture by instinct, just like the rest of the Decepticons, and no matter at which age it was administered, the flier would react to it as if he was a scolded sparkling.

It was the Sparkling Lock.

No one tried to disagree with him since then.

And then there was the bot's reaction to the possibility that Primal Major had taken Optimus for some reason or the other. He hadn't been happy about it. His and Strika's interrelations were interesting to watch, but it made Megatron wonder just what the mech had done to ensure himself the privilege of calling his General only by designation alone.

Before they took off, one mech had come to tell them that Alpha Supreme had taken off Sepram and had trans-warped into Quintesson space. It made things a lot more difficult, but Megatron knew that they can still go and get the little Prime back.

He was broken out of his musings as he looked out the windows of Omega Supreme while they traveled. It seemed that the Supremes had a special locking system that allowed them to combine into bigger space ships for longer travel because they propelled each other, thus using less fuel. Right now, Omega was on top of Sigma so the active shipformer could more easily react to any threat that may come their way.

''Why him?'' Oh great! It was that pompous, condescending big-chinned fool! Just the bot Megatron _least_ wanted to talk to. Ever!

'''Why him' what?''

''Why are you so interested in him? Why him of all mechs on Cybertron and in the Universe at large? Why him?'' There was something bitter in his tone and Megatron had to reset his optics a few times in slight confusion. What the slag?

''I am interested in him because he is a competent leader, a good warrior and and excellent fighter. He is a strategist I would love to face in war-sims and would dread to face on the battlefield. He is just and caring and wise beyond his young age. I see some hope for peace in him, some hope that Cybertron would become as great as it had been in those myths and legends of the First Generation. And he is rather attractive, too.'' The last was added almost as an afterthought. And it was. To Decepticons, an optimal mate was someone who they could depend on in battle, be it to protect their backs or to keep alive so they don't both offline because of a broken bond. It was the way of warriors. Looks are the last thing Decepticons look at. It's one of the many reason they sneered at Autobots, who always pampered themselves to look the best they could instead of bettering their skills.

''There were other mechs with those same attributes before him. And there are still better bots than him. So why did you chose him?'' Sentinel asked as he crossed his servos over his chest and brought up his big chin. ''Why did you choose that Maintenance Prime?''

In a flash, Megatron had the fool pinned to the other wall by the neck.


	12. Chapter 12

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 _Previously..._

 _''Why him?''_

 _'''Why him' what?''_

 _''Why are you so interested in him? Why him of all mechs on Cybertron and in the Universe at large? Why him?''_

 _''I am interested in him because he is a competent leader, a good warrior and and excellent fighter. He is a strategist I would love to face in war-sims and would dread to face on the battlefield. He is just and caring and wise beyond his young age. I see some hope for peace in him, some hope that Cybertron would become as great as it had been in those myths and legends of the First Generation. And he is rather attractive, too.''_

 _''There were other mechs with those same attributes before him. And there are still better bots than him. So why did you chose him?'' Sentinel asked as he crossed his servos over his chest and brought up his big chin. ''Why did you choose that Maintenance Prime?''_

 _In a flash, Megatron had the fool pinned to the other wall by the neck._

 _Now..._

Never before in his life had Sentinel actually admired Optimus as much as he did in this very instance.

His old friend was many things that Sentinel will never give him credit for, but most of all he was brave. He had stood in front of this giant of a mech and hadn't faltered because of fear. Many back on Cybertron even wondered if the other Prime had even felt it as he fought the bogeyman of every Autobot's closet. He had taunted him, baited him and defeated him and lost only one comrade.

It was for that,and returning the Allspark, that earned him the title of Cybertron's young hero.

Sentinel had never really liked Optimus. He had met him through Elita One while they were still sparklings. They are older than Optimus by quite a few stellar cycles but Optimus was a protege and had as thus advanced quicker than most bots ever did. Because of it, few kids wanted to even speak with him, let alone be his friend.

Sentinel had been one of those kids.

Elita had not.

She had claimed that he looked miserable sitting all alone, but to Sentinel, young Optimus simply looked relieved to be able to read in peace. The bot has always been a bookworm and it never changed. In fact, Optimus never changes. Says he doesn't see a reason to. Elita had liked that about him. She thought that it meant Optimus had an unchangeable moral and would always be there for a friend. She has stuck with him for most of their lives and he had repayed her by leaving her to her death.

At least, as far as Sentinel was concerned, she was dead. That abomination he met on Earth is not his Elita. That was a Decepticon.

And right now, he was being held by the throat by one of the most dangerous of all Decepticons, the Slagmaker himself. Megatron.

He had managed to piss the gray bot off with something he had said, but for the life of him, Sentinel couldn't understand what had ticked him off.

As if reading his mind, Megatron snarled and leaned closer. "Before the Great War started, it was a great taboo to speak badly of one's Conjunx Endura or their intended for the mech would then not only have a right to defend his mate's honour, but it was required! Among Decepticons, even today, it is frowned upon. By insulting the bonded of any one mech, you are questioning his aability to make solid decisions."

Sentinel just couldn't keep his big mouth shut. "Thanks for the history lesson, but I don't see how it's connected to the current situation."

Megatron snarled even moreferociously than the last one.

Elita had been right. Sentinel's big mouth was going to get him killed one of these days.

"I am planning to make Optimus Prime mine, so I would suggest you back off before I put some manners into you the old way. It has always been effective in the past... Don't make me feel the need to show you just how we Decepticons treat those like yourself, Autobot." Sentinel didn't even get a chance to blink before the warmonger was gone down the hallway, not even bothering to look back as he threw over his shoulder. "Just because Optimus Prime is more talented and competent than you is no reason to treat him unfairly. It only proves that he is a greater person than you. Think about it, Autobot."

And with that, he left the blue Prime gawking after him.

00000

It has been a very long day for Optimus.

He had had to givthe twins a tour of the ship and then came the hard part. As they were walking through the halls, Alpha had made his presence known by asking Optimus how these Autobots could fly like Decepticons. The Jettwins had jumped up almost to the ceiling and then their battle protocols were activating.

Before the younglings and what was essentially a sparkling could power up their weapons in their mutual (although unknown to the other) desire to defend him, Optimus had jumped in between his two charges and his bonded charge and ordered them all to stand down.

Alpha Supreme did sowithout question.

Jetfire and Jetstorm... not so much.

They listened to Optimus's explanation with keen interest, and while they had hesitated at the thought of living in another sentient being, they soon grew to like the shipformer and talked to him for twenty minutes, which is when they reached their new quarters. Roller, Primus bless his little caring spark, had gone on ahead to prepare them for the twins. The two, however, were more interested in the Minicon himself than in the room he had prepared, seeing as they were never able to finish their fussing the first time around. Optimus had then had to transfer the basics of the binary language of the Minicons to both twins and had the unexpected pleasure of watching his little friend having some fun with others than Optimus. It made the young Prime smile.

After that, he had taken his jetpack and told the twins to follow him. He proceeded to teach them how to get the space barnacles off of Alpha's sides and they had great fun destroying the little trouble makers. Jetfire would use his special ability to burn them off the ship and Jetstorm would then use his to send them off deep into outer space. Optimus didn't slack off either, using his ax to hack at the little buggers, as Sari would say. They soon made it into a game to better their team work, and although they got just a tiny bit competitive, it never turned into a contest.

After that, they all had their evening refuelling and then Optimus checked the twins injuries. They were lucky it was something he could handle, because he is no medic. No matter how many times he read about a procedure for fixing something up, he has no hand on experience to back up the theoretical knowledge.

After he was sure the patches would hold for the night and that they were not in any pain, the red and blue bot led them back to their quarters and told them that if they need anything, they should just ask. When the twins had laid down, Optimus made sure Roller got some rest, since although Minicons could spend longer without recharge, it was not healthy for them either. So he had spent three joors in the bridge before the Minicon returned, demanding that he also got some rest.

It has now been another twenty breems since the two lifelong friends have parted ways that there was a knock on his door. The captain's cabin was dimly lit and Optimus had just drifted off while still reading the last log of Primal Major's first vorn since he escaped certain death by the black hole. Shaking off the need to fall asleep, Optimus got to his pedes and wordlessly asked Alpha Supreme, who always monitored his room, to open the door.

Before him stood a sight that made him want to strangle everybot in the Elite Guard.

Jetfire and Jetstorm were clutching each other's servo as they stood in front of their new captain's room, their armor rattling and frames shaking.

"What's wrong? Are you alright? "Is the normal questions anyone would ask in such a situation and Optimus was no exception.

The twins looked at him with pleading optics.

"Can we recharge with you?" They asked together and Optimus only nodded and led them in. The younglings lingered together before they pushed themselves up against Optimus's back as he was turning to his desk, having planned to let them fall into recharge and then leave them the berth as he continues his reading.

"Please stay with?"Jetstorm begged.

"We not feel like it if sir is there!" Jetfire added.

Optimus turned to hisyoung friends, concern growing. "Feel like what?"

"Like Decepticon scum." Was the muffled reply as Jetfire buried his face in the Prime's back.

"Like when we accusedof purposely hurting officer." Jetstorm said in the same manner, also burying his faceplate into the red and blue mech's back.

Optimus felt a strange, overprotective anger he had rarely ever felt before. How dare they treat these children like that!? He took a few calming breaths, remembering the way they had reacted to it the last time and something else clicked into place in his processor. He was gonna give Sentinel a piece of his mind when he next sees the pumps Prime.

For now, he turned to the kids and drew them both in a hug. "You're not Decepticon scum, nor was it your fault, although it does not justify what you did. However, be assured that as long as you stay with me, on this ship, you are wanted, always wanted somewhere and this will be your home as long as you wish it. For all I care, you don't belong to either faction and that's fine. You're always welcome here."

The twins stared at him with wonderin their optics and Optimus used the opertunity to dry their faces. "Now, let's go and get some rest. Don't think that just because we're not on Cybertron that you can slack off. Understood?" He was attacked with a grateful hug and his reply was a firm and thankful "Sir, yes, Sir!"

00000

"Any news?" AlphTrion asked of the Team Athenia and Shockwave and Blitzwing when they returned from their little mission in the town they presumed Primal Major has refulled last. The rest of the traveling party had stayed with the ships and were looking around for clues. They had found traces of a fight and a struggle near obvious landing and parking marks of what must have been made by Alpha Supreme's altmode.

"Unfortunately, no. The locals are far too loyal to Primal Major and refused to give any hints of possible directions he could have set off to." Shockwave reports. He turns to his lord. "However, I have contacted Swindle, per Lockdown's recommendation, and he was able to find out that the Major has travelled through here quite often. The fee for such information was rather unexpected, seeing as it was more than half of what I have suspected the price to be. Apparently, the Quintessons want that knowledge as much as we do. They're after him, my Lord."

"As I have just concluded with Strika." Said Decepticons had grave looks on their faceplates as they gestured to their find. It was the remains of Primal and Optimus's attackers.

"Qvotas!"Yoketron gasped and Lockdown whistles.

"They're not looking for him. They're hunting him for a thropy on a wall."

"No, they aren't." Everyone turned to look at Prowl, who was kneeling beside a big tree covered by some leaves. "They have already done so." He brushed the strange leaves away, revealing the marked grave of a fallen warriors and it was dedicated to one Primal Major.


	13. Chapter 13

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth,a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

The next morning, Optimus woke up to two rather heavy unruly flightframes weighting him down to his berth.

Remembering what brought the younglings to him in the first place caused him to scowl in such a way that Bumblebee would probably crack a joke that he could scare half of the Decepticon army with such an expression. It actually wouldn't surprise him, at this point. If his expression was as scary as he was angry, then perhaps it would be best for him to actually do something about it and turn it useful.

He'll use it on Ultra Magnus and Sentinel the next time he saw them.

Sighing, he tried getting up without disturbing his charges when they stirred. Jetfire, who is using Optimus's long, shapely legs for a pillow, streches and bumps his blue brother, who had been resting on the young Prime's abdominal plating, making him jerk up, kicking out his legs and thus showing Jetfire off of the berth. However, the white and orange twin grabbed at his 'pillow' and it all resulted in Optimus falling off with Jetstorm in tow.

The three stared at each other before the Jettwins jumped up, calling out greetings and apologizing over each other. A few moments later, Roller rolled in to the sight of Optimus Prime laughing so freely that the Minicon was reminded of a time when he followed a bright, big-opticed sparkling whose laughter rang like the crystals of Praxus.

After thay had all calmed down, Optimus led them to the bridge and they each had their morning cube. Noticing that they werenear one of the rregular spots Primal has used for gathering supplies, Optimus opened the files he had on the little organic world. As he read the file, he asked Alpha Supreme to pick up any news from the planet.

It's name is Majuza, a place known for its parties, music and carnivals, as well as one of the biggest markets in the Universe. According to Primal's experience on the little planet, as long as you can have fun and dust purposely cause trouble, you'll be liked immediately. And if you know how to party... Well, it'll be hard to leave the place because they will love you and won't want you to leave. Besides, the organics on Majuza have nothing against any race, even the ever prejudicial Autobots.

As Optimus read this, Alpha supplied him with the happenings on the planet and one of the articles he pulled up gave the red and blue bot a wonderful idea.

"Alpha, set course for the capital Noticas. Their shipyard is big enough for you to land comfortably. I'm thinking we stay planet-side until tomorrow. How does that sound to you?"

A pause,like every time the shipformer is asked for his opinion. "I don't mind."

Optimus smiled." I'll be sure to find you something nice. Any requests?"

"One of those cubic decorations, if it's no trouble." Came the hesitant answer after another pause. Optimus laughed at his friend's choice and waved his worry off.

"Of course it's no trouble! I'll be sure to bring the prettiest I can find back! Any preference in design?"

Alpha relaxed and answered straight away. "Those that shine like a disco ball!" Optimus chuckled again at the childish request and reminded himself to spoil the Omega Sentinel more often.

"Deal!"

00000

"Well, one thing is certain, and it's the cause of death." Ratchet said after many, many scans. They didn't want to disturb the grave so the medic, along with Perceptor and Wheeljack had to bring out half of the equipment from both the Steelhaven and from Omega Supreme's medbay in order to get a good picture. And after all the scans, the results were chilling. "The wounds were definitely made by those ugly beasts you found earlier, only there probably were more. There are signs of struggle and laser fire all around this area, but the most freaky thing about this is the way he died. Those things didn't kill like an animal would. They killed with the obvious intention of causing as much pain as they ripped him apart. The grave is also not the place of death, but I'd say it's because there wasn't a chance to find a tombstone anywhere near here so they placed him under the tree and carved out this, " he gestured at the memorial. "I have absolutely no idea what it says, however. Anyone here speak jiberish?"

"It is not jiberish, and yes. I can speak this language." Alpha Trion snapped and crossed his servos over his chassis. He looked truly indignant and downright offended by Ratchet's words.

"Well,what does it say?" Starscream asked, although if you asked anyone present, they'd tell you it was more of a screech.

"And what language is it?" Hot Rod couldn't help but ask.

"It's an ancient dialect and it says that he was brave and died a honorable death, defending youth and trying to keep peace for his home world. It praises him as a dear friend and caring mentor. Must of made an impression on whoever made the grave." He concluded with a thoughtful look at the text.

"I still can't place which language it is." Cyclonus, oldest among the Decepticons, says after a long pause.

"It is as old as the First Generation and very few know it in this new time and age." The old Archivist explains to the group, earning him impressed and awed looks.

"Does Optimus know it?" Prowl asks with an innocent expression that anybot but the Archivist would have bought, but he had had a hand in raising Optimus Prime, who was a lot more devious as a little sparkling.

Alpha Trion doesn't answer that question.

00000

As they walk the streets of Noticas, the awed and excited expressions of happiness on Jetfire and Jetstorm's faceplates make Optimus's world brighter and a lot warmer than it has been since Primal Major's death.

Noticas truly lives up to its reputation. There are stands of every kind on every surface that can hold their weight. Where there's no stand, there's an entrance to clubs and restaurants that serve all kinds of food from across the galaxies. Then there are the arcades and the cinemas. Everything is made for a good time.

A little down the main road starts the infamous market where you could buy anything. Primal had written that they have low prices and love trading for Cybertronian merchandise, which is very rare and useful so it is worth much more than on Cybertron itself. The most looked after are the datapads and Optimus is glad he read the whole first vorn of the log as it stated quite clearly that those are, as humans would say, like pure gold.

"Alright, Jetfire, Jetstorm. We have about 50 shanix to spend on each planet but 12% of that has to go to supplies and refuelling. Considering this, I believe that we can indulge in a few games and go get some oil! Sound like a plan?"

The two stop their looking around to stare at him in confusion. "Oil?"

Something occurs to Optimus in that moment that he never even considered asking before. "Did you two...? Are you two even old enough to drink anything else but expertly reconfigurated energon?"

"No, we still in youngling frame." Jetfire said and Jetstorm nodded.

Optimus swore that he was going to rip a few heads off. "So they considered it okay to just take random younglings and reform their coding with never tested before Decepticon code?"

They shrug. "We in accident. If not for this, we would have offlined."

"It doesn't excuse what they did and how they treated you. You need to stand up for yourselves! Listen, " he takes a shoulder each and looks into their trusting and innocent optics. "If I ever mistreat you or you don't think some order I gave you is a good course of action, you need to talk to me, tell me what you don't like, what you think could be a better option. It's how teams work." He grips their shoulder plating a bit firmer in order to show how serious he is. "It's what creates trust and understanding. And don't think it's all about you, okay?" He added when he saw their uncertainty. "That's how a captain and a leader becomes good at his job, okay? I need critique in order to become a better leader, so that one day I can make decisions that will save your lives." He steps back and gets all serious and formal. "Is that understood?"

The result is immediate. The twins salute and answer with a confident "Yes sir! Optimus Prime, sir!"

Optimus can't help but grin at his young friends. "Then let's go have some fun, yes?"

The Jettwins, still in salute, grin their cute smiles and answer with another "yes sir!" before they head out to the gaming section.

00000

Megatron can't help but try to corner Alpha Trion as the old bot walks around the forest near their ships. Out of everyone who is travelling with them to find the red and blue Prime, this ancient bot seems to know him best, seems to know about what the real Optimus is like.

And being a bit interested in the pretty Autobot, Megatron wanted to know as much about him as he could possibly find out.

Alpha Trion stopped with a sigh. "What do you want, Megatron? I don't appreciate being watched as I contemplat the fate of the whole Universe."

Megatron had to reset his optics at that, a Cybertronian version of a confused blink. "I'm sorry, but did you just say-"

"It does not matter right now. State your purpose."

Filing away the strange information for later conversations, Megatron conceded and asked what he was here for. "You seem to know Optimus Prime better than anyone here. Why is that?"

Alpha Trion snorted. "I helped raise the bitlet, of course I'd know him best! Aside from Roller, a Minicon, who stayed with him since he was less than three orns old, I have known him the longest. I thought him to speak and helped him practice walking. I thought him to read and write and I helped him learn how to study, although he never needed much help. He just got attached to me and I to him. I used to see him almost every day... then Ultra Magnus noticed him and his many talents and decided to form him into the next Magnus." He said bitterly.

"I don't understand. Wouldn't you want him to advance to such a position?"

"No!" Megatron was so surprised, he almost jumped out of his armor and he had to stop his battle protocols from activating. "I would never want him to be dragged him into such a vile world, full of mistrust and assassination and politicians! I would rather offline ten times than let him be put down to their level! You yourself should know just how bad the Council is."

Megatron nodded as he followed the old bot, who had started marching back to the entrance side of the ships. He knew all too well how the Council is.

When they got in front of the ships, they were surprised to see one of the Autobots from team Athenia flying towards them. Megatron had half a nanosecond to think weather he should grab the old bot as well when he dodges the bot, but Trion was already jumping out of the way without any difficulty. Megatron filled away that as well. The old mech seemed to have more secrets than the best mystery novel.

The thrown Autobot landed three feet away from their original position, cursing up a storm at the pain his sensory net must be attacking his processor with. "Pit! That hurt!"

"It's supposed to hurt. It's an aft-whooping!" Cyclonus called from across the clearing, Blitzwing cackling like a maniac due to Random being in control. "If this is the best the Elite Guard has, then it really is a good thing that Optimus Prime isn't part of you weaklings. The poor mech's reputation would be destroyed without any hope of salvation. Poor slagger." The old Decepticon said in a pitying tone of voice as the silver-now-back-to-orange bot got back to his feet.

Ironhide grumbled in annoyance. It gets worse when Bumblebee of all bots started giving him instructions and criticism on his techniques. "Then why don't you try to do better, little fragger!"

Bumblebee freezes for a klik then nods with a big grin. "Okay!"

Ironhide, Hot Rod and the rest of the Elite Guard watch in fascinated horror as the minibot comes to stand before the towering Decepticon with almost no fear or hesitation and Ironhide has to wonder if he had just sent an innocent, though annoying, bot to death.

00000

After three joors of gaming like mad and winning many prizes, thus getting them fans among thcitizens of Noticas, Optimus Prime and his crew of two flying Autobots and one Minicon find themselves as guests of honour in one of the most fanciest restaurants this side of town.

It is dark outside, as it was since they landed. Unlike Cybertron and Earth, whose stars are big and bright enough to light up half of the planet, Majuza's sun was small an weak and you couldn't tell the difference between night and day. It's one of the reasons why it has such a policy of nonstop partying.

After winning his twentieth game that would have been considered training at the Academy and thus brought back quite a few memories, Optimus, the Jettwins and Roller( who had all won their fair share of gaming stands, thus earning them all fans) were invited to this place called The Lunar Laguna, which turned out to be one of the fanciest club-restaurants this side of the planet. Optimus and his crew were seated at the very front, where they had a clear view of the stage and were served with the finest oil and energon. Optimus even ordered a few rust sticks, knowing that the twins will most likely take a liking to them and knowing that it's one of the treats they can have safely at this stage, having loved them when he was younger.

As the rest of the guests were served, the curtains opened up to reveal a pretty Majuzarian female, dressed in a long, elegant purple dress that accents her purple eyes, her long black hair made in a wavy style and red lipstick over her green lips. The males in the room all hooted and whistled at her as the music started playing and she leaned her weight on one leg, the arm from that side resting on her shapely hip. The other is used to place her three fingers over her heart as she sang about a true love that can't be expressed because of familial differences. She had a lovely voice and Optimus throughly enjoyed the show. Roller just relaxed with the soothing music while Jetfire and Jetstorm stared an wonder as the pretty organic sang.

At some point during the song, she had noticed them as the only Cybertronians in the room and she centered her attention to their table, namely Optimus. The young Prime played along with the show and the singer was pleasantly surprised when Optimus, ever the gentlebot who was absolutely used to flattering Elita One whenever he could just to embarrass her, plucked the beautiful flower given to their table and held it out for her to take as the song finished. They both received a round of applause and as the Cybertronians left after being told that the bill is on the house under the condition that they visit again, the organic singer watched the young Prime leave, sighing into her flower. Just like the female half of the room did as well, all having seen how Optimus behaved.

The Jettwins were vibrating with energy as the unruly foursome went deeper into the infamous market, searching for supplies and the little gift for Alpha Supreme.

"That was amazing!" One would say, and the other would reply with what was the coolest thing about that event, then the first would change the event that they are talking about and the second would then say what was the awsomest thing about this event and then they would start all over again. Optimus and Roller just exchange looks every now and then, one very clearly amused while the other can't really show it so clearly.

It didn't take them long to find everything that they needed ata reasonable price. Primal had been spot on when he said that you only need to have fun to be liked and it extended to the trade affairs as well. Apparently, no one has broken some record in a very long time and Optimus was the first person to set a new high score at that sharp shooting game. Optimus doesn't like to brag, nor is he trying, but he has won all of the Academy's trophies at least three times, all in a row, too. Kup, his drill sragent, used to say that he was wasting his talent in the Academy and said he wished that Optimus had been born in the peace time before the Great War began. He used to say that if Optimus had been alive back then, the Cons would have respected the Autobots more and that his presence as a warrior would have mellowed down the dislike and distrust towards the warbuilds. Optimus didn't think he'd make too much of a difference and he once told this to Kup Minor, but the bot had insisted that sometimes, one bot is enough to change the course of history.

Now that Optimus thinks aboutit, he gets the same impression of Primal Major and even Alpha Trion from times to times.

As he was looking through the decoration pieces and looking for a suitable gift for his big friend, mind still miles away, preoccupied with thoughts of all his somewhat mentors, Optimus felt something that shouldn't be here.

Autobots don't visit organic planets unless absolutely necessary. His team back on Earth has been the biggest exception of that rule, and aside from his little group now, the only other exceptions were Primal Major and Blurr, who was sent to watch his team. But Blurr was on a mission so it was under the 'necessary' file.

And it's for this reason that Optimus Prime does a double take near a stand where he suddenly sensed an Autobot energy signature that seemed familiar to him, although he couldn't place where he had encountered it before, only he doesn't see any bot anywhere.

00000

The assembled group of Autobots had to admit that they were awed at what they were seeing.

When Bumblebee had first walked up to Cyclonus, who was the only Decepticon willing to 'lower himself to such a level as to play in the dirt with the pathetic Autobots' and they saw the size difference, they all thought that the yellow bot would either run away scared or get turned into slag. Neither happened, of course.

They had all forgotten that Bumblebee was one of the Autobots that has been there on Earth, was one of the bots that had, under Optimus Prime, fought half of the Decepticon High Command and came out still online and not forever scared because of the experience. They forgot what he has had to go through in order to survive those ordeals and they forgot that he even fought against a taken over Omega Supreme and the Lugnut Supremes.

So, it's because they forgot all of that that they were now staring dumbstruck as Bumblebee, although winded and a bit tired, had managed to get quite a few blows in, making Cyclonus laugh good naturally.

"Ah, I can't remember the last time I had this much fun sparring an Autobot." The Decepticon said when they finished team from Earth had cclapped politely for the two sparring mevhs and then they had gathered around Bumblebee, checking if he was alright, Ratchet grumbling all the way how stupid the yellow bot is for engaging a Decepticon without a warmup. "How come the Elite Guard didn't employ you? It seems like a waste of good warriors to me."

"You thinkI'm a good warrior?" Bumblebee asked, excited. Finally! Someone was recognizing some of his worth!

"Good-ish, but better than what I have seen today." Cyclonus cast a look at the Team Athenia. They all looked away, embarrassed. Even Hot Rod, who was by far one of the best of the Guard, didn't get one decent blow in. "Who was your drill sargent?"

The Earth's team of misfits optics all light up. "Technically, indirectly, it was Kup Minor-"

Ironhide snorted. "Don't lie, Bumblebee. We had the same drill sargent!"

"And who would that be?"

"Sentinel Prime." Bulkhead answers before there could be any sarcastic or insulting comments made from either side, although the tone of voice he used showed that he didn't like his former sargent. Not in the least.

"Then how come they suck," Strika asked,pointing to Hot Rod's team. "And you are half decent fighters?" Then all the Decepticons's optics lit up. The Athenia Team had advanced into the Elite Guard, while the other team had become repair bots, but were under the command of-

"Boss-bot thought us!" The two best friends said together, highfiving Sari when she came up to them, all exchanging hushed stories about their training sessions with their beloved leader. "He told us to forget almost everything we've been thought except the most basic skills, because he said that it was the only thing that we should use from the Academy's learning system. He said that his own drill sargent, Kup Minor, always told them that they should make their own style of fighting and practice that, but the basics are what will essentialy save our tailpipes in a battle. Of course, he then learned that we never got the same package for our basic training as he did, so he just took things into his own servos, and then when he was satisfied, and believe me when I say it's hard to get that mech satisfied when training is involved, he let us train on our own, most of the time. Occasionally, he would pull one of us to the side and we'd train one on one or he'd pair us up. He mostly sent us off with Prowl to Dinobot Island so we can practice stealth and patience and silence, because he says he can be all of the above, but he wouldn't know how to teach others to be like that too. I personally think it's only because Ratchet doesn't talk about the War unless the base is empty except for Optimus and himself."

"Wow! So the rumours are true!" Hot Rod suddenly gushed, running over to Optimus's team.

They looked at the orange, yellow and brown bot in confusion. "What rumours?" Asked the cyber ninja.

"That he holds all the records, all the HIGHEST RECORDS in the history of the whole Elite Guard, that he won every reward, first place too, for every possible competition, that his grades in every subject were perfect and that he was a candidate for the future Magnus! He was my idol while I was training! I tried to beat his scores, not in academics, I'm not so good with that, but in war-sims and battle VRs but, even though his scores were removed from the official board because he was kicked out, the legend lives on! Even today, I am still over 2500 points behind in SHARPSHOOTING! My weapon of choice is an energy bow because of my precision and yet he's so far ahead! I can't believe that I am going to meet him!" When he was finished, he realized that the bots were struck dumb. "You really didn't know?"

They shook their helms.

"Optimus could be quite secretive when he wants to." Prowl answers for them.

A moment of silence before literally everybot jumps out of their armor plating when Alpha Trion barks out a loud, long laugh, clutching with one servo his forehelm and with the other his abdominal plating. "By Primus! You don't even know the half of it!" He wipes away a drop of coolant from his left optic. "I guess it is something that runs in the family."

00000

"What words do I need to use to be able to explain to you, plain and simple, that what you're doing right now is technically illegal! By the Galactic Laws, selling one species as merchandise is punished by lifelong imprisonment with no leniency whatsoever, and you, my dear merchant, are in possession of a living, functioning Cybertronian!"

It should be ridiculous, really. Optimus has heard many things about merchants, especially about Swindle and his ilk, but this was insane! Not even Swindle, who has connections, like, everywhere, would risk the Galactic Council coming after his aft because he sold a person. And here was this short, even for his race, stubborn little citizen of Noticas who won't budge.

The merchant's boss suddenly comes out of the back of the little stand, asking something in rapid Notician dialect of this planet's mother language and Optimus wonders what they're discussing. As if answering his thoughts, his processor suddenly emits the familiar sound of adjusting his linguistic programmes and Optimus all of the sudden understands every word being spoken, as if the transmission from Intergalactic standard to the Notician dialect of Majuzarian is completely normal.

Optimusis suddenly very glad of this ability of his. When he was little and Alpha Trion discovered this special ability of his, the old Archivist had made sure to evenly stuff Optimus's young processor with every language ever spoken across the Universe. It was easy, really. He only needed to tell Optimus a few sentences in each language and Optimus's processor did the rest.

And it was extremely helpful in this moment. Resetting his vocalizer, Optimus spoke in perfect Majuzarian with the appropriate accent of Noticas' s citizens, stunning everyone but Roller. The boss was thrilled that a foreign customer knows his language and he listened carefully as Optimus explained the situation to him.

He looked petrified. "Of course I'll give you back your fellow Cybertronian! I am so sorry but we found it like this, floating in space. We had no idea. I am so sorry! However, this makes a problem for me." He added hesitantly.

"How so?" Optimus asked because he was ready for comprises if it means that whoever is in this state gets proper medical attention.

"I placed a high price on the cube. It is my loss and although I don't intend to sell it now that I know it's sentient..."

Optumus thinks about it and then spots a perfect gift for Alpha Supreme. "Then how about I pay, but for that decoration there," he points at a pretty and flashy diaco-like cube that is far cheaper than the Cybertronian has been. "And if anyone asks, I loved it so much that I refused to pay any less. Deal?"

The two merchants looked so gratefulOptimus didn't even regret the amount of shanix he spent.

00000

"Ultra Magnus, sir!"

"Whis it, Cliffjumper?" The Magnus asked after finishing a move in the final game of war-sim against Megatron. The score is three to two for Megatron, and unless Ultra can pull off this maneuver without the Decepticon noticing his plot, it'll be even and he can walk away with some dignity. It is true when they say that the Decepticons were made to wage war. Not all are strategic geniuses but their generals can't be matched nowhere in the Universe. It is no wonder that the rest of the Universe either think that the Autobots won either by some mighty dirty play or by dumb luck.

"It's a report about the sighting of Alpha Supreme, sir."

The Warlord smirked and made his move instantly, as if he had been waiting for Ultra Magnus to make this move.

"It was spotted landing on Majuza, in Noticas."

Ultra Magnus started in horror as he lost another match. "The Magnus is down." Megatron told him gleefully, a big, smug smile on his dermas.

In that instance, Bulkhead and Shockwave entered. "My Lord!"

"Whatis it Shockwave?"

The one-opticed mech ignored the dirty look Cliffjumper was sending him. "A few moments ago, Alpha Supreme transwarped from the planet Majuzar and has departed deeper into Quitesson space." He looked apologetically at his master. "We lost the opportunity, my Lord."

Megatron looked thoughtful as he tipped over the Magnus's ship in the sim. "Worry not, my ever loyal Shockwave. There will be another opportunity. For now, " he stands up and exits the room, his Decepticon spy following him. "We must prepare to depart. The ship must not get too far away ahead of us."

Ultra Magnus was left to look sullenly at his loss.

00000

When they finally boardethe ship with the cubed Cybertronian carried by Jetfire and Jetstorm, Optimus ordered the twins to go with Roller to the medbay while he took care of some things.

The first thing he did was to give Alpha Supreme his little gift and the shipformer's glee at the glass-covered cude was worth all the trouble and every shanix he spent.

After Alpha had settled, Optimus told him to transwarp to the next coordinates that was safe for them and let Alpha know that soon, another mech, or possibly femme, would be walking around his halls. The big mech was happy to have more friends and was delighted to have one more person to talk to.

When that was done, Optimus went to one of the special storage rooms that only he and Alpha have access to.

 _"Kid, in this room, there are a lot of experimental medical solutions that needed to be perfected for use but it never got that , there is also a lot of stored energy from the Allspark here, too. I'm sure you've at least heard of its healing powers, so you should know how to use it. Beside each shelf that holds it, there's a needle and the containing unit in the exact measure of the dose needed. If there's ever anything you can't do or even a trained medic can't fix, use one of those. However, there's also stored energy from something called the Omega Lock. Alpha Trion had collected it and it's powerful. It can fix any physical injury, but if someone's dieing, use the Allspark energy. Everything else, I suggest that."_

Those were the exact words of Primal Major when he was giving Optimus a full tour of the ship. It seemed so long ago already, even if not even a full week has passed since Optimus was swept away from Cybertron and into this crazy adventure.

Quickly picking one of the Omega Lock energy containers, Optimus jogged back to the medbay. The twins had put the cube down on one of the berths and Roller had helped them hook up the necessary equipment to its surface. "Here goes nothing."

Optimus adjusted the container and put it on the Cybertronian version of an IV. For a few moments, nothing happens, but then the cube started glowing suddenly and then it began extending. The Jettwins instinctively activate their battle protocols and stand in front of Optimus until the light dies down and they're all staring at a traumatised-looking sky blue mech as he tries desperately to free himself of the binds Roller had activated upon the start of the light show.

Optimus is the first to recognize him. " _Blurr_?!"I


	14. Chapter 14

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth,a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 _Previously..._

 _Quickly picking one of the Omega Lock energy containers, Optimus jogged back to the medbay. The twins had put the cube down on one of the berths and Roller had helped them hook up the necessary equipment to its surface. "Here goes nothing."_

 _Optimus adjusted the container and put it on the Cybertronian version of an IV. For a few moments, nothing happens, but then the cube started glowing suddenly and then it began extending. The Jettwins instinctively activate their battle protocols and stand in front of Optimus until the light dies down and they're all staring at a traumatised-looking sky blue mech as he tries desperately to free himself of the binds Roller had activated upon the start of the light show._

 _Optimus is the first to recognize him. "Blurr?!"_

 _Now..._

The Intelligence agent immediately snaps to attention. He can't salute, but he goes rigid still and answers with the Autobot Elite Guard standard of "Sir, Agent Blurr reporting in, sir!"

And that's when he really looks at Optimus and his little crew. "Optimus-Prime-is-that-you? What-happened-to-your-finish? The-space-bridge-the-Decepticons-were-building-will-lead-them-to-Cybertron-without-setbacks-because-Longarm-Prime-is-the-Decepticon-Shockwave-and-"

"Blurr!" Optimus finally has to yell for the Intelligence Agent to stop talking so Optimus could explain everything. "The space bridge is destroyed, Decepticons were defeated and Cybertron is safe. Well," Optimus mutters to himself. "It was safe the last time I was there. Anyway!" He continues before Blurr can ask anymore questions. "There was another battle after the one we last saw each other. The Decepticons cloned Omega Supreme and had three against us, but Ratchet had managed to get the Magnus Hammer from Shockwave after the creep took a shot at Ultra Magnus. I used the Hammer to even out the odds, but it was Prowl who won us the fight by sacrificing himself to bring back the shards of the Allspark back together. It's on Cybertron now, as are Megatron, Blitzwing, Lugnut and Shockwave, as prisoners. We are currently deep in Quintesson space. We found you back on Majuza, being sold like a decoration. Can you please tell me what happened?"

Blurr looks troubled by the amount of time he was gone and the information he didn't possess in detail. He was an Intelligence Agent and Optimus heard that they go crazy if they don't know something.

Had the ensuing conversation taken place when he was still a cadet, Optimus wouldn't have believed Blurr. The story was just too weird. The run across the galaxies would have been unbelievable had Optimus not been revived by the Allspark itself. The way Blurr had twisted his body so everything but his spark chamber was crushed would have been considered impossible had Optimus not done the unthinkable and defeated Megatron more than once. The story of how he just floated like the dangerous trash Shockwave has had Cliffjumper throw him out like would have been too much for the red and blue Prime had he not been botnapped just because Primal Major believed that he was good for this mission.

After Blurr finished his tale, Optimus shooed everyone else out of the medbay with the excuse that it was patient privacy and seeing as he now acted as a doctor, Optimus needed the space to work. It wasn't a complete lie, but Optimus wasn't going to mention that.

After everyone was out, Optimus let Blurr sit up but promised him that he will personally weld his aft to the berth if he moved more than necessary until Optimus made sure he is fit for duty. He remembers Ratchet saying it after every fight when he has to check them over and Optimus feels a content warmth filling him inside out at the thought of his friends.

Blurr, oddly enough, didn't argue. In fact, he looks a bit subdued and Optimus had a good, or bad depending on how you look at it, feeling of why. He has noticed the way Blurr's voice hitched when he mentioned Cybertron's 'traitor'. There was a story behind that but Optimus wasn't going to pry too much, only enough so he can know how to proceed.

"Alright, Blurr. Everything seems to be fine. Now," he says as he puts away the equipment and motions for Alpha Supreme to close the doors unless Optimus allows for them to open. It's both a precaution to no eavesdropping and to Blurr not speeding out if he doesn't want to talk. "Why don't you tell me what really happened with Shockwave, aka Longarm Prime?"

Blurr stiffens and looks the other way as the young Prime sets a medical grade energon cube in front of him. "I-don't-want-to-talk-about-it."

Optimus sighs as he sitsdown by Blurr's side. "It's eating you alive, Blurr. If you talk about it with someone, anyone, really, you might feel better."

When he's answered with only more silence, Optimus sighs and walks over to the door. "We'll be landing on a near planet soon. I'm not a trained medic, so I'd suggest you drink that and get some rest. Come by the bridge later on if you feel like it, preferably before we land. I want to discuss the plan for the planet before we go out."

Not waiting around for an answer, he walks out of the medbay, only hearing the beginnings of a muffled keen coming from the room and quietly asking Alpha to lock the door for anyone who isn't allowed in by Blurr or Optimus.

The Intelligence Agent needs time to mourn if Optimus is right.

00000

"The situation couldn't be worse." Hot Rod reports. "The Intelligence Agency sent a report stating that the Quintesson forces at the ridge of our galaxy have been getting more and more reinforcements. Some of the commanders at the space bridge stations still refuse to leave with their forces because they suspect Decepticons taking the bridges as soon as they leave, making our defence weak. Cliffjumper and Shockwave are finally working together to remedy as much of the in rank problems so that the Intelligence Agency back on Cybertron can deal with the Quintessons at our proverbial doorstep. However, among the bad news, I have some great news I can give." The Prime went on when Ultra Magnus nodded, still trying to figure out Megatron's last move and plan for yet another war-sim. It's their tenth by now and although Megatron had been getting as much reports from his generals, he never faltered. The fragger even made moves while he was reading a report!

"Go on."

Hot Rod nodded. "We have questioned the locals, and although it took Alpha Trion to come out and talk to them in their own language because they don't sell information, we have confirmed that Alpha Supreme had landed here. They stayed in Noticas, played games and drank oil before going to the market, which they swiftly left for unknown reasons. The merchant they traded with refused to talk with us. And Bulkhead managed to catch the trail of warp energy, so we know where to go next, but that quarter of Quintesson space is filled with seven planets, all close to the coordinates we got, and each planet has at least one inhabited moon. The search will have to be manual, but at least we got a lead at all. Bulkhead says that we might not be so lucky next time they trans-warp."

Ultra Magnus sighed and made a few adjustments to his formation before looking up at his soldier. "Very well. Good job, Hot Rod Prime. Make sure we depart for the new coordinates as soon as we are fueled. Dismissed."

Hot Rod saluted and marched out of the room.

Megatron looked up from his datapad and just moved one ship, effectively neutralizing the Magnus's previous effort to get the upper servo.

The white and blue bot glared at the tyrant. "Frag you, Megatron."

The grey Decepticon just smirked." I'm afraid that you are not my type, Magnus."

Ultra scowled.

00000

"No, Alpha. Teletran-1 is not like you. He was an interference programme meant to make flying the ship easier. He didn't have a spark like you do." Blurr walked in on the conversation between mentor and Omega Sentinel as he sped down to the bridge. They were all informed that they will be landing on Helens, a peaceful moon on the third planet that they passed since warping to this quadrant. They will be staying until the end of their recharge cycle, seeing as it was already getting close to that time and everyone was a bit tired.

When Blurr had gottenback together enough to leave the medbay, which he found to be in privacy mode which he was immensely grateful for, he was surprised that he was the last one to enter the bridge. Jetfire and Jetstorm were at counsels, looking up data for landing and getting permission for it. Blurr felt irritated that they hadn't called him to monitor that but then he remembers that Optimus Prime had tried to help him deal with his sorrow, and when Blurr had coldly rejected the offer, he has given him space to deal with it how he saw fit.

The Minicon, which Blurr had been surprised to see in the first place because everyone knows that the Minicons are neutral, was flitting back and forth, bringing in cubes of energon, rust sticks or oil and occasionally beeping something at the other occupants of the bridge.

The captain of the ship was sitting in his chair, reading Primal's instructions for this planet and checking the permission to land or the location of the space port they're meant to land in, all the while explaining AIs to the sentient ship he's in charge of.

The Prime looks up when he senses Blurr's stare and smiles at him. "Just in time, Blurr. We're landing in a few breems, so I wanted to brief you all about our visit. The market is right next to the space port and the prices are rather low this time of the solar cycle, so we'll take extra here because the next stopping point is known for getting ridiculously high prices at any given time. Now's the time to state what you want or need. Of course, you can get off here, if you'd like. No one is making you stay, but you should know that you're always welcome aboard this ship."

"Can-I-think-aboutit?" Blurr asks after a second.

Optimus smiles gently at him and nods. "Of course. Anyway, we're getting more jet fuel for Jetfire and Jetstorm and Roller brought it to my attention that we need more coolants. We're already planning on buying more rust sticks. Anything you want? Don't worry about it if you decide to leave. You can always take it with you." He assures when he notices that Blurr is going to object.

"I... I-would-need-jet-fuel-as-well-becauae-my-whole-frame-and-all-my-systems-work-on-greater-speed-than-normal-energon-can-be-processed."

"Wow, really?" Jetfire asked.

"How you live like taht?" Jetstorm adds.

Blurr shrugged. "You-get-used-it-like-you-get-used-to-everything-else. It's-not-like-I-need-the-whole-ration-to-be-jet-fuel, just-40-%-of it-so-my-frame-can-function-how-it-was-meant-to. I-usually-have-to-be-careful-about-how-fast-I-do-anything-and-that-includes-refueling. I-would-get-really-really-really-really-sick-if-I-constantly-drank-normal-fuel-or-mid-grade-energon. High-grade-wouldn't-be-too-much-of-a-problem-and-I-can't-get-overcharged."

The twins reset their optics a few times while their processors deciphered what has been said at such a speed, but Optimus Prime didn't seem to have such a problem. He nodded and added more jet fuel to their shopping list before starting to talk about the planet and its locals.

When they landed, Blurr was stillsurprised that the majority of the citizens have come to greet them. It was a custom on Helens, something about judging the newcomers's worth and how they should be treated. Luckily for them, Primal Major has visited the planet in the past and has left clear instructions.

"Puko, stranger." The leader of the citizens, a mayot as they called them outside of Cybertronian space, said as he raised an open palm in greeting, locking optics with Optimus, who he easily recognised as the leader.

Optimus raised a fist and placed it over his intake, breathing air on it and then spreading it as if he was blowing it to the mayor. "Puko, friend."

The instant smile on all their metalic faces showed that Optimus passed the test and they were welcomed with great honour, already being dragged for a big meal.

00000

Aboard thecombined ship that is Omega Supreme and the Steelhaven, the Autobots got the scrap scared out of them when their Magnus stormed out of the room he has holed himself in with the Decepticon warlord, whose laughter could be heard, echoing through both ships.

00000

The locals of Helensweren't as prone to partying all the time like on Majuza, but party they did. It is rare for anyone to pass their test and thus they hardly ever have welcomed guests.

And when they do get welcomed guests, they throw big fiestas in the joys of getting new friends.

They were robotic organisms similar to Cybertronians but they, like the rest of the universe, couldn't transform like Cybertronians can. However, they are a lovely, friendly sort, even if they are picky as to whom they act as such.

So when Optimus and his group were brought to a big feast, they could only stare before they were swept into a group dance. Now, Primal had noted that these people lived in rhythms and thus their dances were filled with changing rhythms, from fast to slow to even faster then the slowest possible before speeding up again. The Jettwins were laughing even when they made mistakes, Roller had had to quit because he wasn't built for such things and Optimus was traded from partner to partner. He was, once again, the centre of attention, that is until the group-dance came along.

It was their national dance. Everyone formed a long line, mechs and femmes mixed all together and all were holding servos. It was like a game. The music stars of slow so everyone can get the hang of it, then it slowly starts to speed up. Anyone who makes a mistake has to exist the line and it goes on and on. The line moves more around the room as it gets shorter, twisting and turning around grand pillars or the long tables. Everyone who falls out of the game stands off to the side, clapping with the music and whistling every time someone does a daring move

The Jettwins are one of the first to make a mistake, but they just laugh it off and cheer the others on.

Optimus falls out when the rhythm suddenly changes from medium fast to really fast.

Another half losses when it gets even faster.

And not long after that, only Blurr is still dancing, everyone cheering him on as he is the first in their history to see the dance to the end. The room is trembling as they all clap for the speedster, who is at first confused, then slowly starts smiling and then giggling when they rush in and pick him up, easily tossing the light mech into the air three times before letting him down.

Soon after, they find themselves sitting at one of the long tables, drinking oil and high grade, munching on candies or rust sticks as they all joke around and talk for hours. The twins have to sit with bots their own age so that they don't try any of the stronger stuff but they don't seem to mind. They're the centre of attention in their little group with other younglings, probably because of Roller, who has been sent to look after them.

And as the night wears on, Blurr considers his future.

Watching Optuimus Prime work a crowd without even meaning to is fascinating and optic-opening. The red and blue bot is truly kind and caring and that draws people to him. The fact that he's always ready to extend a helping or friendly servo only adds more to the charm. Blurr could do a lot worse than to serve under this mech.

"Longarm Prime asked me to bond him." Blurr blurts out as soon as they are left somewhat alone. Optimus immediately turns to him, focusing all of his attention on the flustered and sad Blurr. "He said I made his spark sing and that he's never met a bot like me. And I don't know how much of that, if anything, is true."

Optumus nods but doesn't say anything, letting Blurr let it all out. It is obvious that the sky-blue bot needs it if he slowed down his talking just for this.

Blurr sighs,leaning back in his seat. "I was onlined functioning as fast as I do now. All through the Academy, I had to record all the speeches I'm supposed to deliver verbally and play them in slow motion. I was made fun of, my ability was called a glitch and no one wanted to talk to me, but that was okay. I got used to it. I graduated with flying colours and was sent to the Intelligence Agency, where they couldn't understand me when I tried applying. I repeated myself twenty four times, but nobot knew what I was saying. Just as they were going to quick me out of the building, Longarm Prime walked through and heard me repeat for the twenty fifth time my CV and he was not only impressed, but he understood what I said! Instantly! I couldn't believe it, I was so happy! He took me into his division and we soon became friends. He was my very first friend."

Optimus felt his spark constructing in sadness for the other bot.

"I... I soon realized that I have fallen for him and I did my best, because I thought his dream was to become the Head of Intelligence, that's what he told everyone and we all believed him, it was a reasonable dream." Blurr stopped when he realized he was rambling and speeding his speech up again. "But to be of any real help to him, I had to go and deliver reports to other divisions and other officers, but with my speech it would be inadvisable. I tried to make him take a different main agent, but he told me he won't work with anyone less competent than himself and that so far, I was the only one who fits the bill for his ideal agent. I was so flattered and happy that I didn't even think about it when I asked him, on the spot, to help me slow down my speech. He accepted but told me to always speak normally with him. That made me even happier and my spark sang with pleasure and love. It took some time but I managed to master slowing my speaking, as you can hear now, and just in time, too. Longarm Prime became the Head of Intelligence and he invited me to celebrate. We had high grade and some fancy energon and Longarm... kissed me. We started seeing each other after we got over the awkward phase and realized that it was mutual. I was the happiest I could be... Then Longarm asked me to become sparkmates a few mefacycles before I was sent to Earth and the rest... Well, you know the rest."

Optimus placed a gentle servo on Blurr's shoulder. "I know that it won't really help, but I'm sorry that it turned out that way."

Blurr whipped his right optic, where a drop of coolant had started appearing. "The time I spent as that cube... I was aware in the beginning and I was preying to Primus that it was all a nightmare. After that run through galaxies and being stuck with two Decepticons and then there was the whole thing with that insane organic who played around with me as if I were a mere toy... After all of that I had only wanted to be held in his strong arms and rest, even if just for a moment... And it pains me so much that even now, when I know that he's not really Longarm but Shockwave, even though I now doubt everything I ever thought that we had... I still want to be held by him."

Optimus tightens his grip and smiles at the distraught agent when the mech looks up at him. "I know that this will probably sound like I'm bribing you or something, but know that if you stay with us on Alpha Supreme, not only will you be considered family but you'll also have the freedom to seek whoever you choose for a lover. I don't care if you love a Decepticon. Pit, I'd be a hypocrite if I condemned you for it... Anyway, as long as you're happy. And even if you decide to go your own way, you must remember that you're always welcome to visit or call or come back and we'll welcome you with open servos."

Blurr beams at the red and blue Prime, already feeling immensely better. Here is someone who won't judge him for his feeble spark for loving a Decepticon, someone who from the sound of it understands his situation and someone who is willing, no HAPPY to become his friend! Blurr would truly be an idiot if he refused this mech."Actually i have already decided to stay, if it's not an inconvenience."

The smile he got in turn was answer enough. "Not at all."

They sat in relative silence for a moment, just observing the room and watching the Jettwins have fun with others of their age.

"You know, you never did answer my first question." Blurr comments after a while.

"Hmm?" The Prime looks back to his companion after observing, rather intently, the far back corner of the big room. He could have sworn that he saw teal and purple plating, shades he could have sworn he had seen somewhere before.

"I had asked you what happened to your finish. It hadn't been this... flamboyant, " and here he snickered and giggled like Sari does when someone says something really hilarious. "The last time I've seen you."

Optimus felt his cheek components heating, although he was happy to note that Blurr was finally relaxed and somewhat content and happy. "I... can't explain the flames." He mumbled, earning himself more giggling. "Really! I woke up like this! Primal Major didn't even bother telling me that he changed my finish until I screamed bloody murder when I caught sight of my reflection three hours later. Roller had still been in stasis then. He explained that it was to better cover me or something. It was just paint at first, so he could change it if I didn't like the patrn, but it kind of grew on me and so it stayed. He just added a code to my nanites so that this is how I will always look after getting repairs..."

Blurr stopped giggling long enough to take a good look at the night blue flames now covering Optimus's chassis and servos from the elbow joints to the shoulder plating. On anyone else, it would look tacky, but on Optimus Prime, it made him look regal. "It suits you."

Optimus's snort effectively ended that conversation.


	15. Chapter 15

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N:Hello everyone! Wow, I'm working on this one quite fast, I'm a bit surprised with myself. Anyway, I'm only going to make a few notes, so you can get back to reading soon. So, if anyone's wondering, the planets Optimus and the others are visiting are all made up. Helens was inspired by Greece, seeing as I'm now on vacation on Rhodes right now, really wonderful place. I would recommend visiting it once. The dancing game is actually based on their national music where it really does start off slow and then speeds up bit by bit.**

 **Anyway, I would like to thNk all my reviewers and my loyal readers for sticking with this for so long! You know who you are! :)You're all wonderful, so I would like to give you a big thanks!**

 **By for now and here's the new chapter. Hope you enjoy it!**

"Attention, everyone!" The mate of the mayor called as midnight drew nearer and thus the end of the celebration. "It is my great pleasure to welcome our guests, Optimus Prime, intelligence agent Blurr, Minicon Roller and the twin younglings Jetfire and Jetstorm, into our big Helens's family! So let us wish them a good journey and a pleasant recharge in our traditional style! Everyone!" She picked up the strange plate that the cubes and barrels were served on and raised it over her head. Everyone indeed followed the pretty femme's lead and did the same with the nearest plate.

The Cybertronians watched on in confusion.

"OPA!" And as one, everyone threw their plates to the floor, smashing them to the smallest bits they could with that one move.

"Opa!" They answered back and cheering ensued.

Optimus and his group could only cheer with them, not really understanding the custom.

The celebration lasted until a few minutes before midnight and our group of misfits were steadily, although slowly, making their way back to Alpha Supreme. Unlike in Noticas, on Helens it was almost always bright. Even at night, because they have two suns. When the bigger one is around, it's day, really bright and hot. When the smaller sun rises, it's slightly cooler and it's as bright as Earth's last minutes of sunset.

And this is one of the reasons Optimus saw the blow coming before it could land. He quickly grabbed Jetfire and Jetstorm by the necks and jumped out of the way, pulling them with him. Blurr, who had no idea what was going on but instinctively followed his new leader's example, took hold of a startled Roller and zapped away in the blink of an eye. A second later he stopped by the Prime's side, everyone looking around for the source of attack.

They didn't have to wait long until another attack came their way, but the Jettwins were ready now, battle protocols online and in full control, so the two flew up to avoid it. Blurr just repeated what he did the last time and ran a distance away with Roller still in his servos, trying to spot the threat.

Optimus jumped out of the way again, cursing himself for not taking his jetpack with him just as something slammed into him as he was landing from his evasive jump. His grunt of both pain and surprise drew the immediate attention of his crew and they panicked as they saw him being practically thrown into a metal wall with whoever threw him following with their full weight.

"Sir!"

"Optimus!"

"Beeep!"

The Prime managed to push his assailant away and duck just in time to avoid a devastating punch into the wall where his helm was just a second before. The wall easily gave way to the strength of the Cybertronian warbuild, bending and breaking from the force used. The metal creeks a little over Optimus's head and it's his que to get the frag away from the dented wall.

He managed to duck his way under the servo that had delivered the punch and take a few steps away from his attacker. He immediately spun around to face them, only to just barely get the glimpse of the same teal and purple colours he had seen earlier in the evening, only he now saw them accompanied by sharp red optics.

The red and blue mech barely had time to duck again as the towering flightframe turned, ready to swipe him with the same servo mid turn. The seeker, as only they were not only so fast and graceful in their movements but also the only warbuilds with such a light and slight frame, still managed to rake their claws on Optimus's abdominal plating, making him wince from both pain and the screeching sound it created.

Now favoring one side as he observed his opponent, Optimus realized who was standing in front of him and wildly, and if he read the emotions he so briefly had the chance to glimpse, almost desperately trying to ofline him.

"It's all your fault!" Screeched the femme Starscream clone as she powered up her null rays and took another shot at him. Optimus thought that it lacked the legendary precision all seekers were onlined with. After all, if they're going to fire from such hight and at such a speed rarely any radars could pick them up, they're going to need it.

"I don't understand!"

"You ruined everything!" She screamed as she swiped at him again, missing only by inches this time. Her movement coordination seemed off. Optimus had seen her fight first hand and this is not how the prideful clone had acted. She had been like a true sparked seeker, confident, cunning, fast and graceful. Here, now, there was almost nothing of that femme in her as she tried fighting Optimus. "If you hadn't interfered, we would have still been together!" Another swipe, and this time Optimus had the time to take out his ax. "If you'd just minded your own business, my brothers wouldn't be guinea pigs to the Autobot scumbags you call scientists!" The null ray hit the broad side of his ax. "We would have been free!"

"Optimus!" His friends called together, getting ready to help their captain.

::Stay back!:: The Prime ordered over the comms they had shared before leaving the ship.

"If you'd just let things happen, I wouldn't be alone now!" The scream was accepted with a shower of null ray attacks, all missing Optimus as the femme finally broke down into sobs, sparks escaping her optics as her loneliness and grief took over her. As she landed with a thud on her knees not that far away from the young Prime, Optimus realized what was going on.

The female Starscream clone was created on Earth's Moon with a bunch of other clones who are technically her spark brothers. After they have collectively abandoned Starscream and joined Megatron in the fight for the first space bridge on Earth, the clones were separated. Two were sent off with Bkurr, but Lockdown had hunted them down for Sentinel, as well as the remaining Decepticons on Earth, including every Starscream clone but this femme. Optimus had briefly encountered her when he was learning to fly with his jetpack, but he had all but forgotten about that.

And here she was now, still free and functioning, but oh so lonely and ultimately alone.

 _"The Jettwins possess seekers coding."_ Perceptor had told Optimus that one time. " _Seekers always look to form Trines, their flying companions that are bound to their sparks by a special resonance. They can be sparked with already determined Trinemates, and they can form Trines by becoming friends. It is a bond that is stronger and more lasting than Amica Endura but not quite a Conjunx Endura kind of bond. And just as if a seeker doesn't fly, if it doesn't find its Trinemates it would be hazardous for their health. Physical, psychological and emotional."_

And this femme had never really even formed that bond with her brothers. She was alone all this time and so she must have commandeered the space bridge on Earth and somehow flew here. She looked overcharged, beaten and bruised and miserably alone. Her EM field was floating around without any control even if she appeared to be struggling to draw it in tight to her frame.

Optimus' s spark went out to her.

Seeing that she was drunk and thus will be very embarrassed by this display when she gets back under control, Optimus carefully approached her and lay a hesitant servo on her shoulder plating. Her wings hitched up and she tried to look at him through still sparking and now even blurred from coolant optics. He ignores what the Decepticons probably see as signs of weakness and, after half a joor of coaxing, manages to get her to her pedes. With the help of his friends, who were at first hesitant about approaching the Decepticon, they manage to guide the femme in the direction of Alpha Supreme.

Optimus rubs his forehelm as he thinks about the future conversation with his giant friend about the reasons why Decepticons shouldn't just be attached on sight.

It's going to be a long night.

00000

"And although we still have absolutely no idea where Optimus is, we're getting closer every day." Sari told her father as they talked over the big monitor in Omega Supreme's bridge and the giant screen that they have built on Earth for better communication.

Isaac Sumdack made a sympathetic face, worry clear in his voice. "I just hope you can find him before anything bad can happen to him. It would be such a terrible loss if Optimus Prime perished. The Universe probably wouldn't even understand the unique miracle that they have lost."

Sari made a confirming sound but whatever she was going to say was interrupted by yelling coming behind her, from the community room.

"I'm bored!" Bumbllebee yelled as he paced the room up and down, servos gesticulating wildly. "I've played every game three times, there's nothing but shitty organic dramas on TV right now and no one seems to know any fun games we can play or something interesting we could do! Ugh! I can't take this much longer!"

A sigh is heard from the same direction. "Perhaps you can join us for a bit of meditation. It does wonders for an unsettled processor." Sari giggles. The sigh was most definitely Prowl's but it was Yoketron that suggested that to her yellow best friend.

"Pshh! As if! I'd only go more steer crazy!" She could just imagine him waving his arms around. "That's not for me, it's Prowl's thing. You just do what you do. Or you could play with me?"

There is a loud snort. "I wouldn't play with you if Unicron was coming to eat Cybertron and you were the last living bot in the Universe in those last moments."

An indiganat sound escapes Bumblebee. "And just why do you need to stay on OUR ship?!"

Another snort. "The ship is the medic's and I decided to stay away from the trigger happy, stasis cuff bearing Elite Guard on the other ship. Being a bounty hunter is a dangerous business to be in... Unless you find a capable partner to share the danger with. What do you say, Prowl? It'll be exciting!"

There are two distinguishable snickers coming from Bumblebee and Jazz. Master Yoketron must be shaking his helm in both amusement and exasperation.

There can be heard the by now well known sound of Prowl facepalming. "I'm not starting this discussion again."

"Come on, baby! Don't be like that!"

Sari repressed her own giggling fit to see that her dad was also laughing quietly. "I'm taking that it's a conversation often had between them?"

Sari rolled herAutobot blue optics, er eyes, or is it optics? She wasn't going to think about this now. "Yeah. Prowl's been begging Primus that we find Optimus soon just so he can kick Lockdown's arse after the alliance isn't so shaky."

Sumdack chuckled again. "Then I hope, for Prowl's sake, you find him soon."

Sari frowned sadly.

"Yeah." She looks to the picture of her and all the Autobots she had insisted that they make for Christmas, up on the wall for all to see. "Me too. We're really lost without him."

00000

The next morning, when Optimus entered the hallway leading to his room, he was greeted by the sight of the now no longer overcharged Starscream femme clone pointing her null rays at his spark, a scowl on her faceplates.

"Good morning to you, too." He said sarcastically.

"Why am I here?" She demands.

Optimus rises his optical ridges at her. "We brought you here because you needed help."

"And why would I need help from little, naive and helpless Autobots?"

Optimus felt his left optic twitch at the 'little Autobot' comment. "Because you need a Trine and you're not going to form one with anyone who is not of Cybertronian origin."

She laughs in his face for his answer. "And who would be in my Trine? You?"

"Yes." His straightforward, sure answer leaves her reeling.

"As if! You don't know the first thing about forming a Trine! You're a sparked grounder!"

"Then teach me all I don't know but need to know. I'm not completely helpless. Jetfire and Jetstorm were created with the use of seeker coding and I've been flying with them since I returned to Cybertron."

"Who else will be in the Trine, Autobot?"

"The twins."

She laughs again. "Trine means that there must be three, if at least in the main formation. And I count four."

"They're technically combiners, forming a bigger bot and jet, Safeguard, not to mention that they're split-spark twins. I count three, a true Trine."

She contemplates something. "Each Trine needs a leader. Those two are only kids."

"And so are you. You only onlined a few months ago. You're a sparkling by all accounts and rights."

The scowl on her face would have scared off half an Autobot fleet. "Yes, maybe, but I come from Starscream, the former Airlord of Vos, and I have his memories and his experience. I'm far better at flying than you, too!" Because of the last comment, she really sounded like a sparkling. The only thing missing was the thrown out glossa and the taunt of 'So there!' in a bratty tone.

"Then what do you suggest?"

"Doing things the traditional way. We spar. You and me, in the air, winner is the leader."

The red and blue Prime is surprised at how easy it was to convince her to join the already forming Trine he has with the twins, and at the possibility of her joining his ever growing crew. "You're awfully accepting of this. Mind telling me why?"

She shrugs, finally powering down her null rays and lowering her arms. "You're right. I need a Trine to be stable and those two reacted like true seekers when I attacked your group. You're not all that bad, if it's true that you defeated Megatron, so I figured if I have to choose between going crazy and joining in a Trine with you, at least you're all competent."

"Thanks?"

She shrugs again. "In two joors we'll spar. Now, where can I get my fuel?"

Optimus sighs and leads her to the bridge, where he updates everyone on the status of their possibly new travelling companion and of the spar soon to take place.

00000

"I refuse to play another round of war-sims with you!"Is the yell that resonates across the two ships the next morning, waking up anyone who was still half asleep. The voice was filled with true fury and exasperation and was followed by quick, heavy pedesteps as its owner tried to outwalk the following pair of slightly lighter ones.

It would seem that Ultra Magnus was trying to get their resident Decepticon warlord and war-sim champion to play another game.

Everyone aboard both ships sigh, or grumbled in the Decepticons's case, in tired exasperation. It had been fun, watching the always cool and collected Ultra Magnus react to every loss or every meager victory for the past few days. But as the tide turned more and more to Megatron's side and it slowly became quite obvious who would win when, they simply started pitying their Magnus. Megatron is a warframe, made for waging war in the most efficient ways and that includes more than good fighting skills. Most of the Autobots were now starting to marvel at the mere fact that they have won against a race of these virtually unstoppable mechanisms.

No wonder everyone thinks they got lucky.

"I am a trained war general and one of the best strategists the Cybertronian army has seen in the last seven million stellar cycles! I refuse to accept that a mech twice as old as that can still hold the concentration for that long a game when you lost the war!"

The doors burst open, the two supreme commanders of both factions coming in quickly. "And I refuse to think that Megazarak chose one with an obvious malfunction that he can't seem to remember that we were left with no access to the Allspark, thus we couldn't repopulate nearly as quickly as you could. And after you flung us out of Cybertron's atmosphere as well, we couldn't reproduce at all! So our numbers dwindled, nothing in comparison to the Autobot casualties, but you could just replace them! That's where you came up with that 'We're all cogs in the great Autobot machine' speech. You gave them names after they proved themselves useful. You might as well be functionists all over again. And let's not forget the enslaved, simple-processired war machines you made yourselves, the Omega Sentinels. Excuse me if I relied upon tactical thinking to keep myself and my soldiers safe and functioning for the past four million stellar cycles!"

Ultra Magnus' s faceplates were set in a dark scowl. "Don't bring Megazarak into this, you fragging piece of scrap."

Megatron's own optics narrowed even more. "He is my spark twin, pathetic little glitched spawn of the Autobots."

Sparks were practically flying between their optics as they have a staredown.

Megatron _humphs_ and turns to leave just as Strika enters the room, grumbling to herself. She notices the stares and glares at everything and everyone in the room. "What are you all looking at?!" She snaps, making everyone but Megatron look anywhere but in her general direction.

Megatron rises his optical ridges.

Strika grumbles again and stalks off after she takes a cube of high grade, Lugnut rushin after her to see what is bothering his beloved.

Megatron just shakes his helm at the two. As he was passing a door down the corridor, he caught the glimpse of a finished war-sim, the defeated side empty and on the winner's side sat Alpha Trion, watching closely his last opponent's strategy and looking over how and why it failed. So, the old mech could play war, too? Interesting.

Without a second of doubt or hesitation, Megatron sat in what was obviously Strika's former place and reset the board with the wave of his servo. The Archivist looks up at him, raising an optical ridge. Megatron smirks and leans back, preparing for someone of the skill level to annoy and defeat his most accomplished and competent general.

"Are you up for a game?"

Alpha Trion smirks and resets his own side of the field.

00000

"Slipstream reporting for duty, commander!" Said femme salutes in the Helens' s little medbedbey as Optimus is patched up. She had already had her turn, at the Prime's insistence, and was now sporting scratches, dents and cuts she had not had upon entering this planet's atmosphere. There are also a few shots from energy weapons she had no idea Optimus possessed, seeing as they were new modifications made by Primal Major.

Optimus winced when the red medic, Knock Out, tried to weld a piece of his armor back in its original place. He was not in any better shape than Slipstream herself. It had been a rough battle in the air, because Optimus refused to call it a sparing, that has left them both drained and hungry and bruised. Unfortunately, Optimus was the only one who had some more advanced knowledge of first aid and the damage done was too much for Blurr to handle. The twins had suggested that they use the energy from the Omega Lock but Optimus refused to use it for such meager (in comparison to Blurr's condition) injuries that can be taken care of by a skilled medic and some rest.

"Why did you introduce yourself only now?" He asked, curious. All throughout the tense refuelling session with the rest of his crew, she had refused to give her designation. She didn't allow them to call her Femme Starscream or anything in relation to her creator of sorts, but now she did it with respect and willingness.

She shrugs. "It's a seeker thing. I needed to know if you'd be worthy of becoming my trine leader and so, as long as I doubted your ability, I was allowed to not introduce myself. After you beat me and seeing as how you have been treating me fairly, I deduced that you would be a good leader and thus gave you my designation and my services, meaning that I'm practically bearing my spark to you and I trust you not to extinguish it."

"Ah, I see." Optimus nodded, making Knock Out snap at him.

"I reallcan't believe that someone with such a lustrous finish would allow such a thing to happen to it!" Optimus had heard the short medic complain to his assistant and mate, a big blue bot who had lost one optic. His name was Breakdown and he had smiled apologetically when he saw that Optimus heard them. He was a nice fellow.

"There! That should do it. Now just rest for the rest of the solar cycle, both of you, so the weld can settle and the nanites can start working on the damage itself. You'll be good as new by tomorrow morning, thanks to the amplifier I added into your medical grade energon. It'll just make the nanites hurry up with their functions and make you heal almost twice as fast. The fee is the standard you saw on your way in. Anything else?"

Optimus stood up to shake the red racers hand. He was from Tyger Pax, on Cybertron, and Breakdown was from Tarn before the war started. They had left Cybertron, not wanting to get mixed up with something that neither really cared about. Helens became a new home, at least until everything settled and they were just fine here.

"No, that's all. Thank you, doctor. I hope we'll see each other again, outside of the emergency room."

Knock Out shook his hand, still inspecting the welds and Optimus's still relatively new finish. "You better keep the paint job by then, or I'll personally scrap you to slag."

Optimus just chuckled as he and Slipstream left after giving the right amount of shanix.

The walk back to Alpha Supreme was a quiet one, but not in an uncomfortable way. They simply enjoyed each other's company and thought of the companionship that they'll eventually form as trinemates.

When they got to the ship, Blurr was the first to greet them. He had taken up monitor duty and communications arrays, happy to be doing something he was familiar with. "Everything okay?" He asks as soon as they enter.

Slipstream blinks at the speed of his speech but Optimus knows she'll get used to it eventually.

"Yes, everything is fine but we'll have to postpone the departure until tomorrow morning, for the welds to settle."

Blurr nods and makes a note on one of the datapads Optimus had given him upon his request. "Then Roller and I have time to get more jet fuel. We've gotten enough for me, Jetfire and Jetstorm to last us for the next two weeks, assuming that we don't fight against anything, then it should dwindle down to one week, in the worst case scenario, but with another jet, a seeker at that, the fuel would be gone in three days if we're fighting and in a week if we're not. All of these calculations include training sessions for everyone. We could also get some more rust sticks, those things practically evaporate." Blurr finished his report of their supplies and Optimus told him that they need to get more mid grade and medical grade energon as well, before the speedster left to fetch Roller to go fulfil his first orders.

"As soon as we heal fully, we're training." Optimus tells his trine, the Jettwins having run into the room when they heard Alpha Supreme's booming voice welcoming his mentorbot.

The three whine like true sparkling. "But captain!"

Optimus just smiles and goes to his cabin.

If can't train right now, then he'll read as much of Primal's logs as he can.

00000

"Where's Lord Megatron?" Asked Shockwave the next morning.

Everybody looks at each other and shrug. No one had seen the grey Decepticon since they all witnessed the argument with Ultra Magnus and they answered as such. And just then, Megatron and Alpha Trion walked in, optics bleary and dim from lack of recharge.

"What the Pit happened to you?" Strika was the first to get over the surprise at the timely entrance. No one but the cyber ninjas was a morning bot on these ships. Sari had even fallen right back to sleep, face leaning on a small cube of low grade energon, ssince she was by all means still a sparkling.

"We spent the entire night playing war-sims." Megatron rumbled, trying to get some mid grade but Ratchet and First Aid were shooing him to go and sleep.

"What?"

Asked Starscream, not believing his audio receptors. I mean, no one could be that stupid, right?

"Three stalmates and a victory each." Alpha Trion answered, letting himself be led to his quarters for recharge by Strika of all bots.

"How do you get a stalmate in war-sims?!" Everyone screeched.

"What was the reprt,Shockwave?" Megatron asked, finally getting a small cube and downing it in one go. Now, he can go rest.

"Ah, yes!Alpha Supreme has been sighted on Helens. They stayed two nights. They might still be there, my Lord."

Megatron and AlphaTrion immediately wake up fully. Just as they were going to demand that they immediately transwarp there, a ping ia heard from Bulkhead's counsel. "Too late. They've just warped out of there."

Had it not been for Strika's, Ratchet's and First Aid's insistence, the two bots would have insisted on personally going to question the natives, immediately.

As it was, they're just going to have to wait for a few joors.

Idiots indeed.


	16. Chapter 16

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: HI! Here's another chapter that I hope you'll like. Now, I've gotten reviews all interested and rather pleased with my adding Slipstream and the other Starscream clones into the story and I'm so glad and happy that it was received so well! If you're wondering what will happen to them, I hope you'll like what I have in store for our favourite seeker and his clones. And on another note, I just couldn't resist adding Knock Out and Breakdown from Transformers Prime! I love those two and decided that I needed a medic and a funny encounter for the rescue party back on Helens so KO was the best choice, especially with Optimus's new finish. Anyone who recognises the reference down there will get a big plushy of their favorite TFA or TFP character. And anyone who recognised that reference can compete for a Transformers Bay Movie plushies if they know that reference Cyclonus used a few chapters back when he threw Ironhid during their sparing session. Remember, you need to write who said it and when or, in the first case, if it is cannon or some meme or something similar. When I first saw the one said by KO I laughed so hard my neighbours asked what comedy I had been watching.**

 **Anyway, sorry for my rambling and here's the new chapter!**

 **Bye for now!**

As Alpha Supreme drifted in space, the newly formed trine had their first training season.

::Jetfire, Jetstorm,combine your powers to create a fiery wind tunnel while Slipstream and I are going to fly around Alpha Supreme. It will be a good defence maneuver that will eliminate the attacking forces that are trying to get to the ship and are already too close for comfort at a 100% efficiency::

::Yes, captain!:: The three reply over the comms, changing their formation to get to their posts and carry out the order.

::Blurr, as you know,you're on communication. Anything that gets too close or ant hails from other ships, you inform us immediately, in as much detail as you have or believe is necessary. The more the better, because we'll know what to expect and how to react and that can be a deciding factor in battle.::

::Yes, of course, captain.:: Blurr answers from the bridge as Alpha Supreme changes his flight course to accommodate the new formation. Roller is there, too, maning one of the counsels that shows all the information from the rest of the counsels as pop up ads. Blurr, meanwhile, mans the rest with a scary ease of many years of practice and his unique processor and programming of an Intelligence Agent. ::While we're on topic, I just got a ping from the scanners. We're entering an asteroid field in approximately 7.86 kliks. This one is known to have an asteroid belt in its centre, and in the very centre of THAT there's a strong gravitational pull of a suspected developing planet or star, it's still unclear. However, I'm telling you about this because while the force is not enough to pull a fully functional ship, especially one of Alpha Supreme's calibre, it will easily pull in anything smaller and the asteroids have a tendency, if this note is to be believed, of colliding and although the structure of the rocks themselves is weak and easily breakable by a good punch or a nice shot, they move faster than expected due to how heavy they are. Also, they are heat resistant so this wouldn't be very effective. I would strongly recommend that you board the ship before we get to the belt. Until then, I believe that this is a good training field.:: The report, with all its details, should have lasted at least five breems, but Blurr finished it before they entered the asteroid field. And everyone having gotten used to his speech patterns, the team was well informed.

::Alright, then. Evasive maneuvers. Shoot as many of the asteroids as you can, it's good practice, meaning you, too, Alpha. You need to try out your weapons systems. ::

:That's a good idea. It's never smart for warframes to leave those systems offline for long prriods of time.:: Slipstream chimed in.

::Slipstream, you act as the defence of the underbelly.:: Optimus continued giving orders, soon hearing the null rays destroying rocks that got too close to Alpha's thick plating. ::Jetfire, Jetstorm, left and right with assistance to either the top or the underbelly. I'll take top and leading position.::

::Sir!:: Was all the confirmation he got or needed.

::Blurr, how do you feel about another space run? I promise it won't have to be across galaxies.:: Optimus's joke was met witha few snickers and a ping of amusement from Blurr himself.

::Of course, captain.::

Optimus smiled behind his battle mask. ::Alpha Supreme, fire the marking colors on thirty random rocks of variable distance and set the timer as soon as Blurr exits you. Roller, be on standby to activate the shields when we're 30 kliks to the belt.::

He got two more confirmations and saw the hatch open as Blurr dashed out, jumping from asteroid to asteroid and propelling himself so he followed the pattern Alpha has made.

::Alright, crew. Let's roll out!::

00000

When Bumblebee, Sentinel, Strika, Blitzwing, Hot Rod and Arcee came back on board, they were not happy.

Megatron raised an optivcal ridge at them.

Alpha Trion just sipped his warmed energon and looked at them (A/N: Try imagining a posh English man drinking tea and looking at you with that comical expression of British butlers from cartoons :D) "You fragged up, didn't you."

It wasn't even a question.

Shockwave was the last to enter, rubbing his servo over his single optic tiredly. "We didn't even make it into town." He said apologetically to both Megatron and the old bot.

Ultra Magnus and Yoketron came in from the other room, interest growing at hearing this. Ultra Magnus knew that Longarm Prime never failed any of his assignments and the Autobot Commander doubted that he would start slaggging off now that he was actually working for his Lord and Master.

Alpha Trion just took another sip of his energon. "Let me guess how it went, " he began as he lowered the cube from his intake. "The entire population of the town was there. One bot was in front of the rest. He raised a hand and greeted you with their version of 'hello' and addressed you as a stranger. Then you," He turned to look at Sentinel, who looked indignant at the (correct) assumption, as he said this, "Opened your big mouth and demanded that they tell you what you want to know. Then they took to arms and threatened you to leave or they'd open fire. Anything I missed?"

The group that had went out stared at him, astonished.

"Hov ziz you knov?" Blitzwing asked,intrigued.

"Yeah! You weren't even awake when we left!" Bumblebee exclaimed.

Alpha Trion just finished his cube as Prowl, Jazz and Sari came in, Lockdown trying to chat the black and gold ninja bot up. "I saw who was out, considered where we are and just guessed."

"Guessed what?" Sari asked when she noticed the streched silence. She is sitting on Jazz's shoulder, both of them quietly snickering at Lockdown's (unknown to him) very successful attempts to make Prowl blush.

"Oh, nothing,really." Starscream, who had been actually talking civilly with Megatron without a single thought about stabbing him in the back, commented, inspecting his claws and feigning disinterest while he was listening in avidly. "Just discussing how Alpha Trion knew every detail of the failed information gathering mission they," he titled his head in the direction of the group that just came back, "returned from a few moments ago. Nothing big, as you see."

Alpha Trion just shrugged and lowered his empty cube to the table and stood up,gesturing for Ultra Magnus, Megatron, Shockwave, Prowl and Sari to follow him. Jazz went over to Yoketron but Lockdown stuck with Prowl, insisting that they'd need more firepower.

Alpha Trion superbly ignored him.

"Next time,don't send Sentinel Prime to deal with ANYONE. The guy can make the most peaceful people this side of the galaxy take to arms when they hate war." The Archivist comments before exiting the Steelhaven, earning Sentinel's protests and howling laughter from the Decepticons or sniggers and giggles from the Autobots.

"Now, I will show you how to gather information."

And with that, they were off.

00000

"So, Slipstream? How you end up on Helens?"

The question had to come up eventually, Slipstream just wasn't expecting it to come from Jetstorm while theynwere all refuelling after their long training session. The blue twin had his head titled to the left, making him even more adorable than he already was. These flying Autobots could probably stop every Decepticon if they ever turned up on a battlefield, seeing as they're technically the first Decepticon sparklings in four million years, if Starscream's memory is any good. It didn't help that they were so cute the Cons would probably rather hug them than slag them.

Unless they are from the DJD.

Slipstream felt her plating crawl, an instinctual reaction she had gained from Starscream at the mere thought of those bots and the Phase Sixers that led them. Fragging creeps.

But now was not the time to dwell on them or be lost in her own brief and Starscream's millions of years worth of memories. The question had caught everyone's attention and while they won't pry, the seeker femme knows that they're more interested than they allowed themselves to show.

"Well, after that big battle on Earth, some three or so weeks later, Autobot Elite Guard ships came to Earth. They caused quite a panic among the fleshlings there, the organic that often fought with your team, you know, the blond, chubby one!" Slipstream talked, looking at Optimus as she described Captain Fanzone. The Prime nodded and told her his name, making the femme grin with how he was slightly defensive of his organic friend.

"Yes, well, he nearly had a fit. The Elite Guard really pissed him off and he gave them a piece of his mind. I think I like that one!" She said with a grin, making Optimus smile at how better she seems after only three days of being in their makeshift trine. "He said he won't allow them to move around his city unless he heard from you or your team, 'Most preferably Optimus Prime, if you don't oh so kindly mind!'" She made air quotes as she recited the police officer, earning giggles from the twins, a small laugh from Blurr and a smile from Optimus. "Unfortunately for him, from what I understood, the Acting Magnus called and demanded that they be swift about whatever they were supposed to do. I only understood after a few days."

Slipstream had been growing more and more animated as she talked, but now she looked sombre.

"They came to collect the remaining Allspark fragments and take anything that has been brought to life with its power to return it to Cybertron, to something, or somewhere, called the Ministry of Science, I think. Starscream doesn't have any real memory about that so I didn't know what it was, meaning I had to observe what they were going to do. So I always stayed out of scanning range and flew above the clouds, since I noticed that they are as good scramblers as anything. I saw them going to that island in the middle of the lake."

Optimus starts in his seat. "The Dinobot iasland?"

"Yeah, sure,if that's what you call it." She shrugged. "They went there and tried to arrest those big, strange Autobots and when the organics Sumdac and that Fanzone fellow claimed them as Detroit's official citizens or something, the Elite Guard went for the Constructicons. I must have gotten too close at some point, because they started chasing me. The only option I had to escape them was to go off world. I am a Decepticon, an enemy to humans, so no one was going to try and protect me, so I commandeered the space bridge for a few seconds it took me to use it and I found myself in some random corner of space. I travelled from planet to planet, keeping a low profile while hoping I would somehow find some of my brothers or any other Decepticon out there who would take me in, preferably seekers, but beggars can't be choosers." She took a sip of her energon to wet her intake after all that talking. "Anyway, I soon ended up on Helens, I managed to find a spring of nice low grade energon and could trade it for jet fuel every few days. However, by the time we met up, I've gone into depression. I had no idea where my brothers were, nor where I was. I was overworking myself just to have some fuel and I had very little recharge. Someone must have noticed, because they gave me an invitation to a big drinking contest. Having so little fuel I went and drank and drank until I won. My prize? More high grade. And that's when I saw you, after I got up to go to my makeshift home, drinking in that room and having a great time, not even aware of how I was suffering." She had glanced at Optimus but now couldn't look the Prime in the optics.

"In my state, it was easy to get angry and logical to attack you. You know the rest. However, when I woke up ... I could remember how you guys treated me and I ... was hesitant to believe it was anything more than a dream. I was trying to sneak out when I stumbled across your room." She now looked directly at her trine leader. "I reacted how I did and then we had that conversation ... and I realized I wasn't all that lonly, here." She gestured at Alpha Supreme and the crew at large.

She smiled at them. "When you offered me a trine, I had to restrain myself from outright saying yes. I wanted to see how you guys were ... And as we refuelled, I realised that I would like it with you. That didn't mean that I wouldn't like to kick Optimus's skidplate just because I thought him a good leader."

That got her startled laughter from everyone.

After a moment of lighthearted silenc, Optimus realized Slipstream had dropped a bomb no one else seems to have noticed.

"Wait! You said that they were trying to get everyone who has come online with the power of the Allspark, but every piece that Prowl could find that hasn't been drained by some use or another has been placed in the Allspark Matrix. Why were they after you guys, anyway?"

"Residual energy from the darn thing orsomething." She shrugs nonchalantly but her wings are high strung.

Optimus waits a moment. "Slipstream ... You still possess a part of the Allspark, don't you?"

Her wings jerk up and she sits boltupright.

00000

"Yes, for the 100th time, yes!" Knock Out yelled at Lockdown. "I am sure that I treated two Cybertronians, one a flightframe and the other was like me! Primus! Are you the doctor, or am I!?"

Lockdown raised his servos up in the universal sign of surrender. "Okay okay! Sheesh."

The red medic glared at him some more before turning sympathetic optics on Prowl. "I am sorry your mate is that ... _thing_."

Prowl's scandalised expression went unnoticed due to Breakdown's next question.

"So, if you're Cybertronian, why are you organic?" He asked of Sari, who was hovering in the air near the two ninjas. She looked indignant and amused at the same time by the question.

"Oh my Primus,Breakdown! You can't just ask people why they're organic!" Knock Out looked truly scandalised by his mate's question.

Sari fell out of the air from all the laughing.

Alpha Trion shook his helm with a chuckle, watching Prowl cathch her before turning back to the red racer medic. "So they were here as long as they were because those two got injured?"

Knock Out nodded and placed a hand on his hip, leaning most of his weight on that leg. "Yes. They had a spar or something like that. From the conversation they had here, it had something to do with it being the flightframe's thing. Probably some custom or something. And before you ask, I'm neither giving names nor specification on frame types. Although, the grounder had quite a fabulous finish! I made him promise not to change it by the next time we meet, but who knows if that'll ever happen." He shrugged and turned back to his tools, seemingly done with the conversation.

"And why won't you tell us those important things but still tell us about their paint?" Sari asked, annoyed.

"Because I'm a doctor and there's something called patient confidentiality, which means that everything a patient tells me or I see stays between us and I only told you as much as I did because you know Breakdown."

Megatron looked thoughtful. "Can he tell us? He's not a doctor."

"That's brilliant! You Decepticons are really good at using technicalities to get what you want." Ultra Magnus says, the first thing he said since they saw Alpha Trion easily getting them access to the city and their information.

Megatron looks annoyed at the surprised tone that the other used but he holds in his glossa. The look Alpha Trion was sending him was quite frankly terrifying. He may be proud but he wasn't going to die because of it.

Before Breakdown can even open his intake to answer, Knock Out beats him to it.

"He can, if he wants to sleep on the couch for the next stellar cycle."

The blue grounder warframe from Tarn immediately shut his mouth.

Megatron, Shockwave and Ultra Magnus stared at him until he shifted uneasily on his pedes. "He's not kidding." Now the rest of the group, even Alpha Trion, were gawking.

It was Lockdown who incredulously asked the question. "Why are you bonded to him again?"

"Becausehe's feisty and hot as

Pit."

"Because I ran him off the road backin Tarn.""

Both answers came at the same time, Breakdown looking like it was the most obvious answer in the world and Knock Out sounding both incredulous and smug.

"What?" Prowl managed to ask after a few minutes of confused silence. He was so out of it that he didn't even shift away from Lockdown when the bounty hunter came to stand beside him but, thankfully, kept his servos to himself for once.

"Yeah, that was my reaction, too." Came the honest answer. "I was just driving around on the open roads around Tarn when I just moved there and then suddenly there was this big truck coming from the other side and, seeing that I'm just a civilianframe, decided to mess with me and bumped me when he passed. He left scratches all over my left servo!" He complained in an angered voice, remembering the damage to his beautiful finish.

"I transformed and checked out the damage and when I saw he had scratched my paint, I went back into vehicle mode and put the pedal to the metal. I'm a racer, if no one noticed, so it was easy to catch up to him. Just as we were approaching a curve, I started leaning into him and then pushing him until, right at the sharpest point, I pushed him off! I was so smug and satisfied with myself and I thought I'd never have to see from that brute again, so I made my way home. Now, I didn't know quite a few things about warframes back then, and one of the things I really hadn't known was that one, they are terrible gossips when they are bored, no offense." He said to the assembled Decepticons and bounty hunter, who all just waved it off. "And two, if you beat them at something that they consider themselves to excel at, they'll become interested in you and might want you as a Conjunx Endura. So imagine my surprise when, two days later, this guy turned up at my newly opened clinic and asked me out!"

Brakdown chuckled. "He kept refusing for weeks, but I managed to mellow him down and the rest, as the saying goes, is history."

"But why did you just HAVE to throw him off the road?" Sari asked after a beat of silence.

Knock Out shrugged. "You scratch my paint, I scratch yours."

They stayed for a few moreminutes, the doctor and his assistant recommending that they ask around on the small market.

"They gossip worse than housebots!" Was Knock Out's comment.

As they were getting ready to leave, Knock Out pulled Prowl to the side. "I know that you'll act like you don't know what I'm talking about, but bear with me." He waits until the cyber ninja nodded. "He's in love with you. No, don't pretend you don't know who, I know you do. And don't give me that scrap that he's only looking for a one night stand. I thought the same of Breakdown and look how wrong I was. Yes, they can be annoying and yes, they don't always know how to express it so that it's clear to us civilians, but they do know how to love us. And he's showing the same signs Breakdown had been showing while he tried to court me. Now, it's not my place to really give you any specific advice since I don't know your story, but I can tell you this: give him a chance. Once a warbuild decides that your worth the trouble of courting and playing for your attention, they won't ever leave your side. Even if you get bonded with someone else, they'll still always be that silent shadow that protects you and anyone you hold dear. So, just ... think about it, yes?"

Prowl hesitates before giving a firm nod.

Knock Out smiled and nodded back, but then he got a twinkle in his optics as he leaned in in mock conspiracy. His smile was now a sly smirk. "Besides, after you taste a Decepticon spike, you'll never want to have anything else, believe me. I used to be very casual with interfacing."

A few moments later, a slightly worried Lockdown asked the passing Prowl if he was alright, seeing as his faceplates were almost red instead of their normal grey color.

Megatron watched his old friend shake his helm fondly at his mate. When the war truck turned back to the warlord, there was understanding in his optic. "I know that I probably shouldn't be doing this but," he made sure Knock Out wasn't paying attention before leaning in to whisper. "The grounder you're looking for, I sincerely hope that it was the red and blue truck that has a strange altmode he said was from some organic planet."

Megatron was beyond shocked. He thought that Breakdown wouldn't dare to say anything, what with how serious his little mate was about the rules. The Decepticon Lord hadn't pried just so he doesn't make problems for his old friend from the gladiatorial arenas. "Why-?"

"Because I know that look you have in your optics, Megatron. You're smitten and it's got to be a bot who can do the impossible of uniting groundframes and flightframes on one ship in a healthy community. By the time they left, even though they came without the flyer, they were knit as thieves. I don't know much about that one, but I see hope with him. Hope that KO and I will be able to come home."

Megatron nodded. He saw the same thing in the little Prime. "I hope you are right. We all wish to come home."

They shook their servos, holding each other by the elbow like only gladiators greet and depart. "I wish you luck with that one. His crew is loyal and won't let you hurt him."

A smirk. "I wasn't planning to, unless he likes it rough in the berthroom. However, it is I who should be saying good luck. With your mate, you just might need it more than I do."

Breakdown laughed goodnaturally. "Oh, slagmaker,you don't even know the half of it. But it's worth it. You just wait for your first stellar cycle of the bond. You'll wonder what you were thinking, wanting to settle down!" Despite his words, there was obvious love and happiness when he talked about his red Conjunx Endura. "But you will never regret it." A sly smile. "Especially if he's as wild in the berth as he is when fighting in the air."

Before Megatron could answer to the all too obvious hint the battle truck dropped, said warframe had already turned around and went to stand by his bonded as they waved them goodbye.

They walked slowly towards the little market. Shockwavelooked lost in thought ever since the medic had mentioned that whoever was on Alpha Supreme had a speedster with them who was so fast, Knock Out hadn't wanted to risk racing him and losing his status as the fastest thing on wheels on Helens. He was probably thinking of his intended that he had thrown into a trash compactor out of loyalty to his Lord. Megatron decided that, if the Autobot was still alive out there somewhere and Shockwave still wanted him, he'd gladly give him his blessing.

Ultra Magnus just thought about how many people were trying to protect Optimus Prime, if he had truly been botnapped by Primal Major. True, the mech was very charismatic and it was hard not to love him in this way or another, but surely people he has just met wouldn't be so adamant on protecting him. Although, Trion had said that when they greet you on this planet, how you answer back is how they'll treat you. Still, it probably had something to do with Optimus Prime's origins and those just made the Magnus feel an oncoming helmache. However, when he thought about how insistent Megatron was at getting the red and blue mech back, Ultra lost himself in thoughts of Megazarak, if he was still alive and if he would go to the same lengths as his brother for his wanted mate. These musings brought warmth to his old spark.

Lockdown was either checking out new bounties or checking out Prowl, who hadn't yet told him to move away from the other cyber ninja. Whatever Knock Out told the shorter bot, the bounty hunter decided he was going to have to send his thanks to the medic. It would seem that the motorcycle was finally considering giving him a chance.

Alpha Trion was lost in thought, worrying about Optimus and what fate had in store for them all. Cybertron was in for a world of change if things work out how the old mech was guessing that they would.

Prowl was thinking about what Knock Out said. He had to give the medic some credit. Despite all of the Decepticons acting like they don't care, living with them has allowed Prowl to study their antics and behavioural patterns. Sure, they can be cold and ruthless, but he had seen Megatron getting along with Alpha Trion or Strika caring for the old bot. Cyclonus even tried training Team Athenia so that they can survive if they get into a fight this deep in Quintessonian space. And Lockdown ... While he could be annoying, he obviously didn't want anyone else but Prowl. And he was worried about him when he had all but ran away from Knock Out... Maybe he really should give it a shot. It's not like they have to bond immediately, or anything. He was sure he could convince the bounty hunter to go slow ... he thinks.

Sari was the only one who wasn't brooding. "Man, Knock Out sure can talk."

"Look whose talking." A voice above them said and everyone immediately went for their weapons. A laugh comes from the same voice but they can't spot their eavesdropping stalker. "My my! Look at this! Autobots and Decepticons working together, the great leaders out without their living shadows and a techno-organic among Cybertronians. It must be the end of the world." The voice said sarcastically.

"Show yourself!" Ultra Magnus commanded.

"As you wish." And with that, a giant black and gold spider dropped off from one of the buildings, landing expertly and immediately transforming into a purple, black and gold femme with two sets of optics.

"I am at your service, Lord Megatron." Blackarachnia said with a half bow and a hand over her Decepticon insignia.

00000

"Proximity alert!"Alpha Supreme's voice boomed in the middle of the recharge cycle.

Optimus was the first up in the bridge, inspecting the screens and surprised he'd come before Blurr, though, he was happy it was so when he looked at what had rattled the shipformer's plating.

''How many ships and what is their origin? Decepticon?''

''Scanning and comparing to the data files.'' Alpha replied immediately just as Slipstream and Blurr arrived.

''What's going on, captain?'' The seeker asked, her voice trying and failing in sounding unconcerned.

Optimus turned to look at her as Blurr dashed for his counsel. ''A fleet of hostile ships are heading straight for us at immense speed and they're only getting faster. We'll need to intercept them.''

''Then we show them not to mess with us!'' Jetfire exclaimed confidently as he and Jetstorm flew into the room, Roller held firmly and safely in the blue twin's hands.

''Yeah! We show them what Cybertronians can do!'' The two highfived each other as Roller went over to his own station.

''Whose are the ships?'' Blurr asked, speed-reading the data about the approaching ships. They were too far away for positive confirmation of identity for a smaller, normal bot like the crew, but Alpha Supreme was built for these kind of things and his scanners had a further reach.

''Match found. Identity 100% positively confirmed.'' Alpha said as he activated the main and biggest screen in the bridge, showing a spiraling ship heading straight at them, weapons already powering on and getting ready to fire.

''Oh scrap.'' Everyone muttered at the same time as they recognized the gray and green ship.


	17. Chapter 17

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 _Previously..._

 _"My my! Look at this! Autobots and Decepticons working together, the great leaders out without their living shadows and a techno-organic among Cybertronians. It must be the end of the world."_

 _"Show yourself!"_

 _"As you wish."_

 _"I am at your service, Lord Megatron." Blackarachnia said with a half bow and a hand over her Decepticon insignia._

 _00000_

 _"Proximity alert!"Alpha Supreme's voice boomed in the middle of the recharge cycle._

 _''How many ships and what is their origin? Decepticon?''_

 _''What's going on, captain?''_

 _''A fleet of hostile ships are heading straight for us at immense speed and they're only getting faster. We'll need to intercept them.''_

 _''Whose are the ships?''_

 _''Match found. Identity 100% positively confirmed.'' Alpha said as he activated the main and biggest screen in the bridge, showing a spiraling ship heading straight at them, weapons already powering on and getting ready to fire._

 _''Oh scrap.'' Everyone muttered at the same time as they recognized the gray and green ship._

 _Now..._

Quintessons! It just had to be Quintessons!

Optimus bit his lower lip-plate as he watched the squids making their way towards them. He knew that they would have to encounter these sadistic cyborgs but he had hoped that it would be when he and his crew got more used to each other and fighting together. They simply didn't have much training as a unit. The Jettwins were a blessing when he had found them, Blurr a happy miracle and Slipstream must have been a gift from Primus. They were all invaluable assets and make a great crew and good friends, but they were all inexperienced in fighting as a team.

Slipstream is Starscream's clone and everyone knows that that guy had stopped being a team player a long time ago and only looked out for himself. Not saying that it inherently it must be the same for her, but it could end up being so and that she'll just leave to save her own plating.

Blurr is an Intelligence Agent and he's used to working alone and escaping as soon as he's sure he can't face something. There's nothing stopping him from subconsciously running away from a battle as soon as it gets too thick.

Jetfire and Jetstorm will always first look after each other and if one of them is in a bit of trouble, the other will leave his post and possibly weaken a risky formation. Not to mention that they, along with Slipstream, were practically children and Optimus would actually rather that they all leave him alone on that battlefield than send sparklings out to fight.

All of this can be fixed with team training and that's why Optimus always tries to get them to practice all together.

Still... They had worked great together in those few sessions that they had managed to have...

Optimus steeled himself for the hard choices. He had to be a leader right now. They depended on him and he would rather become the Quintessons's little pleasure slave than let them offline while under his command!

He had to think fast.

They had to act even faster!

They will have to work together as if they had always been a unit, from the first moment each one of them had onlined their optics. It's a good thing that they were all exceptional bots. Slipstream might be a clone, but she was the clone of the Airlord of Vos himself, the Jettwins also had his coding and Blurr is possibly and very much probably the only mechanism that had run across space. With the help of a little coordination and Alpha Supreme's supreme (no pun intended) and superior weaponry, they should be able to win against the squids.

Optimus Prime straightened his back. ''Alright, crew, this is what we're gonna do.''

He had to leave his fate up to them like they had left theirs up to him.

00000

''Ultra Magnus, sir!'' Cliffjumper burst into the common room on the Steelhaven. ''The Quintessons have been spotted making a move, hostile to the last bolt!''

''What?'' Sentinel exclaims, running over to the red minibot and snatching the datapad with the information Cliffjumper had just stated. ''Why now? I thought we had more time! I knew this was a bad idea! We should have just left him to deal with this by himself-''

''Ahem.'' The deliberate clearing of throat-tubing drew Sentinel's attention to the two Decepticons in the room, altogether six pairs of optics glaring at him from across the room.

''Uuh, I mean-''

''Save it, Sentinel. I think we _all_ know just what you meant.'' Blackarachnia said in a dangerous tone.

''May we return to the subject at hand?'' Megatron asked, still glaring at the other Prime although he was more interested in this new information. ''If I remember correctly, was it not assumed that the squids won't make it to Cybertron in another four decaorns. Unless they suddenly possess really fast ships, then they couldn't have gotten so close to Cybertron for attack in such a short period of time.''

The red Autobot shook his horned helm. ''They're not attacking Cybertron. The hostile movement was recorded here,'' He showed them on a datapad a map of a quarter near the many asteroid fields near New Qunitessa, although still some ways away from the planet itself. ''Appearently, around two megacycles ago, someone entered that squadron and the Quintessons attacked, but the approaching ship had enough firepower to repel them. Shockwave and Swindle are bidding now for the security footage of the nearest satellite so we can try and see the battle itself, but Lockdown suggested we go to the battlefield itself, said that the Quints loved recording their battles with almost indestructible cameras so they can brag about their victories.''

''So he thinks that there might still be a camera that had recorded what had happened.'' Megatron mused.

Cliffjumper nodded.

The Magnus considered. ''It's worth a shot. Very well. Tell Jazz to set course for the battle site, no trans-warping. We don't need to attract any unwanted attention to ourselves.''

''I agree. Especially with how high alert they're going to be from now on.'' The two faction leaders nodded at the red bot and Cliffjumper left to fulfill his orders.

Blackarachnia turned back to Ultra Magnus.

''Now, where was I? Ah, yes! So, we landed on Archa Seven...''

00000

Optimus Prime couldn't help but be proud.

The battle hadn't been easy, but they had won. His plan had worked and the Quintessonian fleet had been throughly blown apart. They had all worked like a dream, no hesitation to trust each other, no mistakes in judgment and no stupid attempts at being heroes. Just a clean and simple victory for their first battle.

Yes, Optimus was very proud.

::Alright, lets get back on board to check if there're any injuries that needed to be addressed.::

He got a ping of confusion from Slipstream. :: But aren't we going to check the ruins?::

::What for?:: Blurr asked, even more confused than the femme at her suggestion. He was being carried by the seeker femme having had to run from ship to ship to disable their communications transmitters or sabotage their engines or, in the case of the biggest ships, to place explosives on their underbellies and Slipstream was best suited to be his transport back.

::Supplies! Weapons! Information and data!:: She said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, though where she got that from- ::Decepticons do it all the time, no matter if the ships used to be their before they were turned to scrap, or if they belonged to someone else, be it enemy or a former ally.::

Well, that answered that question.

::How you know?:: Jetfire asked.

::I've seen them doing it in Starscream's memories.::

::What should we do now?:: Jetstorm asked, flying beside his brother, the two of them having split from Safeguard a few moments ago, the bigger jet being more help in some minutes and in others it was numbers. All in all, their team had all the advantages but the home-field advantage, but it didn't mean much when Alpha Supreme activated his cannons.

Optimus thought for a moment. Once upon a time, he would have turned the idea down before it was even fully presented to him, the ever perfect and blindly loyal Academy cadet, but that Optimus and those times were long gone by now. He had to be radical about this. They were deep in enemy territory, the space around them monitored by the Quints and they had just blow up one of their guarding fleets. They won't be happy and Optimus couldn't afford to let them find any evidence of Cybertronian involvement.

He wasn't going to give the squids an excuse to attack his home world.

::We'll take anything of use, including any tools, fuel, equipment and weaponry. The less the Quintessons have, the better for the rest of the galaxy and Universe at large.:: He got pings of confirmation and they moved towards the leftovers of the space shuttles that had stood no chance against Alpha's weapons. ::Be swift about it.::

::Yes, sir!::

And they were off.

It didn't take them long. Seekers were made for speedy and long flights and Optimus's jetpack was fast enough to easily keep pace with them. The ships were a true wreck, but thankfully, all the crew had abandoned them as soon as they saw one of the infamous Omega Sentinels getting ready to fire. Optimus was glad for that. While the Quintessons were true monsters to his people in the past and probably still would be if they got the chance, the young Prime still couldn't and very much wouldn't condone the deaths that could have easily been avoided. Something in his spark always rebelled at the thought of such pointlessly lost lives.

They stayed for twenty breems and most of them were spent in silence except for reports of useful finds. The radio silence unnerved him, but Optimus could understand it. They had just fought Cybertron's most hated enemies and they didn't know if any more would be coming anytime soon. They needed to stay on high alert, even if it frayed their nerves for a little while.

::Captain, I have found a room full of Quintessons, I can't yet tell all of their ranks but I do know that only two are alive.:: Blurr reported after another seven breems of absolute silence. He was so distressed by his find that his voice was almost too fast to be understood, even after all of the getting used the team had had. Optimus could have sworn that there was even a waver in there, even if it was masterfully hidden.

::Alright, Blurr. Where are you? I'm coming to you.::

::I'm in what looks like the remains of the head ship's bridge. It was in the very middle of the wreckage if it hadn't drifted to far while I was investigating, seeing as the cosmic currents are infamous here for their random patterns and rather untimely occurrences and they can be very fast-::

::Blurr, I need you to calm down.:: The captain interrupted him. ::I'm coming to you now. Just make sure that the two survivors are secured in stasis cuffs, for your own safety.:: Optimus boosted the blasters of his jetpack, hurrying along. His trine had gone very quiet and Optimus could feel, at the very edge of his spark and awareness, their fear and uncertainty. Must be the trine bond finally settling in, Optimus thought as he entered the ruins.

It wasn't hard to find Blurr.

And it wasn't hard to realize why he was so shaken up.

There was the Quintessons's life blood everywhere. It would seem that the bridge of this ship had not managed to evacuate, or maybe they hadn't wanted to? The Prime shuddered at the thought. There were the two survivors propped up against the wall while the rest were sprawled around the room, some still at their stations, some obviously having tried to flee. Some where even burned and others were still on fire.

It was nightmare.

Optimus could only put an arm around Blurr's shoulders as they waited for the seeker and the flying Autobots to come and help them take these two back on board.

00000

By the time the combined Supremes arrived at the scene, Alpha had already flown away, leaving no evidence that it was an Omega Sentinel that had done this other than the amount of exploded spacecrafts left in his wake.

''The ships were raided expertly, everything useful was taken and any possible emergency beacons were deactivated. There were signs of tempering with some of the ship's engines or communication transmitters, but that's about it with the servo-on approach. Everything else was taken care of with energy weapons, although there were signs of something akin to laser fire.'' Strika reported after the Decepticons all returned from the wreckage.

''Null rays, to be more specific.'' Starscream said. His wings were perched up high, obviously very attentive, but to his clones. The clones were all practically sparklings and today, they had seem most of the horrors of war wrapped up in a few remains of spaceships. It was no longer just Skywarp that was jumpy and that stuck closer to Starscream than one would normally. ''Whoever did this, they had a seeker with them.''

Alpha Trion rubbed his forehelm, feeling helpless. Was it Optimus who had had to lead others into a fight like this? Or had he been the one being led? The old mech knew that it was Optimus who had made the memorial for Primal Major, after all only he and Optimus knew that ancient language, but what if there were others? Is there someone with Optimus that might lead him to his death before they could get to the red and blue Prime in time?

''Shockwave manged to find the cameras we were hoping for.'' Strika continued. ''He says that it will take them about a joor to crack the security codes and get to the preserved footage, so he suggested we all refuel. Bulkhead also reported that there are no signs of trans-warp energy trails, so it means we're either finally too far out of reach of our scanners or they simply drifted off.''

''I would think that it is the latter.'' Megatron explained. ''After all, they had just blown up quite a few squids. It would be stupid to attract any more attention to themselves. Especially since they apparently didn't know about the cameras but had taken out the nearby surveillance satellites.''

''Possible.'' Ultra Magnus conceded.

''Or maybe zey zook heavy damage?'' Blitzwing's Icy persona oh so optimistically suggested.

''I highly doubt that.'' Perceptor answered. ''The Omega Sentinels were made with exceptionally thick armor and they have powerful shields.''

''We took down quite a few of your greatest weapons.'' Cyclonus pointed out.

''Yes, and if you mention it again, I will personally weld your intake shut in such a way that you'll never be able to use your vocalizer.'' Ratchet snapped, reminding everyone that they had, for once, held this meeting on Omega Supreme and not in the Steelhaven. When you focused hard enough, you could actually feel the shipformer's trembling, even if it could be passed off as turbulences.

''I fully agree with Chief Medial Officer Ratchet.'' Ultra Magnus said in an exceptionally icy tone of voice.

Blitzwing's face shifted and Angry soon showed his face into that of Ultra Magnus. ''And what are you going to do about it, Autobot?!''

Static started going over the Magnus Hammer, but before th two could break into a fight, Shockwave and Cliffjumper made their way into the room.

''I believe you should see this.'' Was all the former Head of Intelligence said as he set up the footage.

The first thing they saw was a speck in the distance.

It was Alpha Supreme, without a doubt, which was proven correct as the fleet drew closer to the shipformer. As battle formations were adjusted and their speed increased, the doors of the cargo bay opened and three forms flew out, moving too quickly and still rather out of range of the cameras.

The one on the left side split in two when the smaller, faster ships started advancing, making everyone gasp as what they now clearly recognized as Jetfire and Jetstorm destroyed the drones. They were doing maneuvers none of them had seen before, their areal acrobatics primed to fit with the other two figures's attacks.

The far right figure was obviously a seeker, moving with easy and grace between ships and firing at their underbelly defenses. That would explain the null ray marks Starscream had mentioned earlier. The seeker kept doing this fore some time before they suddenly abandoned the ships and returned to Alpha Supreme, who had yet to even point his weapons on the Quintessons.

The seeker returned a few moments later, speeding in bipedal mode and carrying what looked to be a blue bot in their arms. When they were close enough to some of the already broken down ships from the fight so far, the seeker launched their passenger before covering his with laser fire as the bot landed on the first piece of wreckage and started running and jumping from piece to piece at great speed, blurring out and making Shockwave gasp in surprise and delight, doing something here, putting something there and never staying in one place fore longer than a few seconds.

Sometimes, ships would explode. Other times, their engines stopped working.

Slowly, the Quintessons were losing coordination, hinting at the already mentioned tampered communication systems. They had to slow down because of the flying debris from exploding ships and drones and soon, the assembled group was teated to the sight of dozens of pods leaving ships at breakneck speed, trying to escape certain death in their defeat.

All the while, the third flying figure had been hacking at drones, smaller ships and individuals who had come at him with some blade or other such weapon, occasionally firing from what looked like cannons. But the figure never got anywhere near the cameras, they were either too far away or behind it. They maneuvered so that the ships attacked them, giving his comrades the needed distraction to pull off whatever the plans had entailed.

When the bigger ships started closing in on anyone of the Cybertronians, Alpha Supreme's superior cannons would fire upon them.

It was a well thought out plan, tactically brilliant and very much doable. From the footage, it is seen that no one from Alpha Supreme got seriously damaged and the raid was discussed, even thought it must have been over the comms. After a while, the third flier went where they had last seen the blue runner go and then the others had gone there, too. They came out with two cuffed Quintessons and some more supplies before all they could see was space as the cameras drifted around.

''That was the Jettwins for sure, my mechs and femmes,'' Jazz said when the video footage was shut down due to it no longer holding anything of particular interest.

''And I believe that everyone has recognized that little bot as Blurr. No one is as fast as he is. He would have been the only one who could have done that.'' Shockwave said with surety, looking hopeful.

''The seeker looked like Starscream.'' Prowl observed.

''Of course they resembled me.'' Said seeker huffed. ''We seekers all have the same body type and our frames are almost identical. There are always only minor differences between out sort.''

''But it still could be one of your clones.'' The cyber ninja insisted.

Skywarp looked hopeful, an expression soon shared by the rest of his brothers. ''Do you think it could be Slipstream?'' He asked shyly, as if afraid of the answer. Well, he might just be.

''Could be. I think it was her color scheme.'' Megatron said.

''What would she be doing there? With some random Autobots?'' Starscream asked snappishly, crossing his arms over his chest.

''Do you even know what part of your personality she is?'' The warlord countered.

''Getting off topic here!'' Bumblee interrupted before they could really start up. If the rumors their Decepticon fellow travelers had shared were true, then their arguments could last for hours.

Cyclonus nodded. ''He's got a point. We're losing time and it's not something we can afford at the moment.''

''And the third flier?'' Alpha Trion asked, obviously more than agreeing with him..

''Too blurry an image.'' Cliffjumper said apologetically.

''I don't know.'' Sari said. ''They looked red and blue with a bit of silver to me, but, like, there were two or three shades of blue.'' She shrugged when everyone looked at her sharply. ''I think it's something to do with the Allspark.'' She really didn't understand it but the small part of the Allspark that had remained in her had felt ... safe, content even, when she had seen that third person. Sari really didn't know what to think, seeing as that sort of feeling had always been associated with the Autobots ever since she met them... Or had it? She felt like she was missing something.

''Anything about their course?'' The oldest bot present asked. He was watching the screen still, even though there was nothing there. Shockwave wondered if he should just play the footage again. Maybe he would see something that they had missed.

''We were able to estimate that they might be going for Quintessa.''

''Why would they go there?'' Bulkhead asked. He had been rather quiet after they had missed the ship the last time they had trans-warped. He was exhausted, it was quite obvious. He, like everyone else from the team on Earth, was worried about Optimus. Only Bulkhead expressed it by avoiding sleep and the nightmares it would bring by constantly staring at the monitors of his station, hoping to pick up another, more clear signal of where the ship that might hold their boss-bot might appear or disappear from. Anything would be useful now, but they were all slowly falling apart at the seams from worry and lack of reassurance Optimus's mere presence provided.

Sari had been right when she had told her father that they are lost without their Prime.

''It is widely known that the Primes of Old had sent some of their greatest knowledge in an indestructible pod, deep into space, where no one would dare venture... Whoever is on that ship might be after that knowledge.'' The Archivist supplied with the answer, earning him such incredulous looks that he got very offended. What was it with these young bots?!

''What?'' Blackarachnia asked, not really believing her audial sensors. Sure, Optimus had told her that the old bot was a bit eccentric and knows of things no one had thought of for generations, but surely he didn't believe this crazy story! Right? Oh, no, he probably did!

''What 'what'?'' He snapped back.

''You can't really believe that?'' Wheeljack asked. The red, green and white Autobot flinched when the angered sea blue optics turned to him and he hid behind Ratchet, who looked just as bewildered as everyone else. ''I mean ... That's just a legend, right?''

''What? That everything we have ever thought was new was actually as old as time itself and all stored in one pod and sent off so no one could use such information for evil or to hurt Cybertron and its people?'' Trion challenged.

''That the ancient Primes even existed.'' Megatron took up the challenge, not afraid.

There was a brief stare-off everyone was watching with rapt attention, getting ready for a possible showdown, when Omega Supreme's voice startled them all with sounding off the proximity alert, making everyone flinch from the loud sirens.

''What is it, old friend?'' Ratchet asked, worry and some hope in his voice. Did they somehow miss Alpha Supreme and the other shipformer now appeared on Omega's scans? Would they finally find out what happened to Optimus? Primus, he hoped so! He missed the kid as much as the next bot and he hoped that they can finally go home now.

''Two pods of alien origin.'' Omega answered dutifully.

''Can you tell whose they are?'' The medic asked once again.

''Yes.'' The shipformer answered yet again, turning on the big monitor in the bridge. ''It has marks of Quintessonian craftsmanship.'' There was silence aboard the ship, making Omega somewhat uncomfortable with the tension in the air. ''They are heading straight for us. Scans show that they have emergency peaceful approach.''

''What does that mean?'' Bumblebee question, staring at the strange pods coming closer and closer on the screen. This would be his first time seeing a Qunitesson and he didn't know weather he should be excited or fearful. He wasn't the only one, though. Only Alpha Trion and Ultra Magnus were old enough to have actually lived during the War for Freedom, led against the squids. Perceptor had onlined a few orns after they had finally driven their oppressors off and the next one was Wheeljack, just before the functionists fell. The others, with the exception of Arcee, Yoketron and Ratchet, hadn't even seen the Great War, against the Decepticons, that was still technically ongoing, no matter what the Galactic Council says.

''It means that they're either injured and starving, or they have been sent of as prisoners from another ship that didn't want them or know what to do with them.'' Strika explained, optics still firmly on the screen

''What should we do, Ratchet?'' Arcee turned to the old medic. ''It's your call, in the end.''

The red and white bot looked at the tense form of Alpha Trion, taking in the stress but also the considering look in his optics. The medic realized Trion probably knew how to interrogate those prisoners without causing damage, or he had a good idea of where that ship was heading. That bot has too many secrets hidden under his cloak and he isn't all too keen on sharing. He was just going to have to follow his lead and hope to Primus that the old bot knew what he was doing.

As if hearing his thoughts, the red, purple and gray mech turned to lock optics with him and nodded.

Ratchet sighed, getting ready for the violent reaction this was sure to get.

''Bring them in.''


	18. Chapter 18

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: WARNING! I'm going to be a bit mean to poor Optimus in this chapter, so prepare yourselves! He'll be alright in the end, but still... Also, keep in mind that the Quintessons are cyborgs, some sick mix of unnaturally combined organic and metallic organisms. It'll all be throughly explained later on... so yeah, they use both Cybertronian and Earth words for their anatomy. Also, a warning for Decepticon cruelty. You'll see. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this new chapter! :)**

 _Previously..._

 _''What is it, old friend?''_

 _''Two pods of alien origin.''_

 _''Can you tell whose they are?''_

 _''Yes.'' The shipformer answered yet again, turning on the big monitor in the bridge. ''It has marks of Quintessonian craftsmanship.'' There was silence aboard the ship, making Omega somewhat uncomfortable with the tension in the air. ''They are heading straight for us. Scans show that they have emergency peaceful approach.''_

 _''What does that mean?''_

 _''It means that they're either injured and starving, or they have been sent of as prisoners from another ship that didn't want them or know what to do with them.''_

 _''What should we do, Ratchet?'' Arcee turned to the old medic. ''It's your call, in the end.''_

 _''Bring them in.''_

 _Now..._

A few joors earlier...

The two Quintessons had turned out to be okay, maybe more than okay, if the glares they were sending their way was anything to go by, Optimus thought. They had woken up a little after he had done some basic medical scans on them, to check their health, and had stayed groggy enough for his tirne to drag them to their cells, where they then, rather violently, woke up fully.

As soon as they had realized that they were prisoners, they had started hissing insults at them in a language fairly similar, if a bit more guttural, to the ancient dialect the First Generation had been thought by the Primes of Old, if the stories were to be believed. It took Optimus half the time needed to blink to decipher the slight changes in his processor before it supplied him with a profanity that would have probably made even most of the Decepticons red behind the audials in shame, and they were by no means prudes. He was just grateful that the Jettwins didn't understand them, but Slipstream seemed able to understand some of the nasty insults they were throwing their way, especially at Optimus, and her wings were hitched up high and null rays were heating up, ready to be used.

''HOW DARE YOU!?'' She finally screeched, raising her arms, ready to fire at the insolent squids that were still only alive due to Optimus's kindness. Anyone else, Autobot, Decepticon, it didn't matter, anyone else would have either left them to their fate or finished them off themselves. But Optimus decided to save them and this was how they were treating him.

Before she could kill the two Quintessons, Optimus grabbed the closest to him servo and held on strongly. ''That is enough, Slipstream.''

She looked at him, angry on his behalf and not liking it that he was stopping her. He didn't deserve the scrap those two spikesheats were giving him! ''Whit what they said about you just now, I should blow their brains out in the most painful way I can and let them suffer in their last seconds!'' She screeched like her creator would. ''You're my trine leader and it is my duty to protect you and your honor, weather you like it or not.''

The Prime looked her in the optics and something in there made her pause. ''I don't condone needlessly lost lives.''

She stared at him and he stared right back until something in her rapidly swirling spark settled and whatever rage had been there evaporated as a strange calm took over her. She lowered her null rays, realizing that he had calmed her down with both words and the trine bond that had already formed somewhat. That he was aware of it before she had been was a bit of surprise, but when has this particular mech ever been up to standard expectations? He's always above them, it would seem.

He stepped away after a moment longer, turning back to their prisoners. ''Why hadn't anyone on our ship fled?''

One of them snorted. ''If we even tried, the commander would have killed us instantly.''

''Is that because you were on the command ship or was it supposed to be that way on every ship?'' Optimus asked next, trying to understand why everyone else had left but them.

The second one answered this time. ''We all know of what will befall us if we try, but they must have killed their commanders first before they could kill them. When we realize we can't win, we either all go down or its every Quint for himself.''

The seeker at his left shoulder snorted. ''No wonder you lost the war to us.''

The first one looked annoyed. ''Oh really?! Well, we'll see just how well it goes this-''

A servo is slapped over his mouth, his cyborg companion hissing at him. ''Shut up, you fool! They don't need another Omega Sentinel grade ship in their arsenal!''

Blurr frowned. ''What do you mean?''

They blinked, not getting a word he had said. ''What?''

''He asked what you meant by that.'' Optimus informed them, staring at them with a look he knew made Sari, Bulkhead and Bumblebee spill the beans every time.

The second glared at him. ''None of your business, Autobot.''

''Oh really?'' A raised optical ridge. ''Well, you see, you made it my business when you attacked this ship and endangered my crew. And now that you are on my ship and receiving my hospitality-''

''We're in a cell!''

''-you are going to be nice enough and answer some simple questions.'' The red and blue mech didn't even pause at the interruption.

''We'd rather float in space aimlessly until the end of time rather than be here, at the mercy of a pathetic little Autobot playing at being commander and hero!'' The second one spat, glaring hatefully at Optimus. ''You, who has never seen war nor been denied anything, who can only play war without ever facing battle or losing anyone dear to you. I would rather kiss Unicron and sell my soul to him than stay in your presence a second longer.''

''How arrogant you must be, thinking you can play the though type, leading these poor slaggers to death.'' The first then chimed in. He had the same gleam in his optics as his comrade, seeking to hurt as much as he can, if not physically, than emotionally. He had seen that his fellow Quintesson had made a crack in that mask of leadership and he was now aiming to bring it down completely. ''I bet that they'll either die or leave you all alone as soon as they find someone better to lead them.''

''Go get welded, Quintesson scum!'' Jetfire jumped in front of Optimus, yelling at the two prisoners.

''Oooh! I'm so scared of baby Decepticon-Autobot hybrids!'' Quintesson number one said, faking a scared face.

''We show you fear, slagheaps!'' Jetstorm joined his brother in between the energy bars of the cell and Optimus, who had gone quiet. The Jettwins now acted as a shield for their captain, protecting their trine leader from any danger and trying to intimidate the squids into shutting up because, while they could protect his frame, they couldn't protect his audio receptors from receiving these insults.

Quintesson number two just sneered at Optimus. ''He's probably an unwanted bastard of some poor mech, a shame to his good name. Or maybe the Allspark just spat him out, not wanting anything to do with him and he has no mentor, caretaker or creators. He's just some failure.'' He grinned evilly when he saw the Prime slump slightly. ''He's probably a bad leader, too.''

''Shuttlescrap!'' Blurr finally yelled his two cents. ''Optimus Prime is the best possible captain anyone could ever be lucky and blessed enough to have the honor to work under.'' He slowed down his speech, just so everyone could understand and so Optimus could hear the seriousness and sincerity in his words. ''If I were given a chance to change anything, I wouldn't take it, because everything that has happened so far is what has led me to this moment, where I am happy, have friends, a family as humans from Earth call their closest friends and actually have a hope for the future! Why I-''

''They're right.'' Came a whisper from blue lips and everyone turned to look at him. Optimus had his optics trained on the ground, not looking up at the shocked faces of either his crew or of his prisoners. ''I lost two friends, both under my command. I don't have creators and I never had a mentor. The closest that came to that was Alpha Trion, and that always felt wrong, thinking of him as a mentor, and then Primal Major, who died because I could not protect him. I am a failure, kicked out of the Academy and being unable to protect the Allspark are proof enough. It shattered and then I could not lead my team right to collect all of the shards. Omega Supreme sacrificed himself as soon as he came back online because I had not led my friends correctly. You, Blurr, had fallen through an unstable space bridge and had to race across galaxies just to then be apprehended by Shockwave and then thrown out like trash. Jetfire and Jetstrom got exiled from Cybertron because I had not been there to help them, because I had not been enough. Blackarachnia died a second time protecting me and Prowl had given up his spark because I had not been able to stop Megatron and his Deceptions.''

Roller beeped worriedly at his friend, feeling helpless.

Blurr, Slipstream and the Jettwins could only look on, shocked and sad, at what their usually confident leader was saying and feeling his sorrow.

Optimus clenched his servos into fists, his back straightening up, his shoulder rolling back and his helm held up high, looking directly at his audience, shocking everyone at the determination there, completely overruling the sorrows and regrets.

''I might have failed in the past, but I don't plan on making those mistakes again. I have bots who depend on me in a different way now. I have promised them a sanctuary, I have promised them protection and happiness and freedom and I plan on keeping those promises. And I had promised Primal Major that I will complete his mission for him, that I will take care of this ship and that I will deliver whatever thing I am supposed to find to Cybertron so we can finally have peace. And I don't plan on failing.''

The Quintessons sneer at him.

''Whatever you do, you'll always fail, Autobot. Its one of those once-always things. And don't think you can hold us here, fragger. We will escape and we will report you and your little crew and we will then come after you with a bigger fleet, ready for all of your little tricks. We will come and we will kill every single one of them, right before your eyes.'' The first promised.

''We will make them suffer, just for you.'' The other taunted next.

Optimus didn't raise to the bait. ''And I will protect them with my life.'' He said so confidently and surely that the two prisoners felt dread at the threat in that tone of voice. ''And besides, you won't be staying here.''

They blinked at him. ''What?''

Optimus's grin could have cut glass. ''Slipstream.''

The femme stepped up, saluting her commander all too eagerly. ''Yes, captain?''

The squids felt dread creeping up on them.

''Put them into those pods we found undamaged and give them a barrel of oil each, weather it becomes their fuel or their peace offering for whatever ship picks them up next is not my concern. Leave the stasis cuffs and don't put them into full stasis. Program the pods to be on the _emergency peaceful approach_ setting and set their course to be for gravitating to the closest ship that passes them by.''

The seeker's optics gleamed. ''Right away, commander!''

''Jetfire, Jetstorm, feel free to help her.''

The two quickly saluted, matching sharp grins on their faces. ''Sir, yes, sir!''

Slipstream took one of the Quintessons and the twins dragged off the other. Both cyborgs were trashing around, trying to escape or injure their captors, but there are truly only few things in the Universe that can stand up to a Cybertronian warbuild so all of their attempts were futile.

Blurr looked at his captain. ''That was crueler than I thought you were capable of.''

Optimus shrugged. ''I am well aware that I could have done much worse, but I am not like that. This is for the best. I don't want their lives laid at my pedes.''

Blurr nodded, understanding. Optimus had a soft and noble spark. No matter how much they pissed him off, he wasn't going to kill those Quintessons unless they attacked first. And the Intelligence Agent also knew that Optimus wasn't throwing them out because they had angered him, but because they had threatened his team and he wasn't going to give them the chance to fulfill what they had promised.

''They were wrong, you know?'' He told him as they made their way to the bridge, the shouts from the cargo bay easily heard all over the ship. ''You're no failure. And I meant what _I_ said.''

Optimus looked at him from the corner of his optics bud didn't say anything.

The rest of the trip to the bridge was quiet and the silence stretched until their resident seeker and the twins came to join them.

They set off to animated chatter as the pods traveled in the opposite way from their own, mood soon improving with the antics of the twins and Roller's timely delivery of energon treats and rust sticks.

00000

''Frag, maybe we really shouldn't have pissed off that Autobot.'' Was one of the first thing their new prisoner Quintessons said one to another.

It was an interesting thing to say and it earned them tons of questions the two refused to answer, just like with their earlier captors.

That is, until Lugnut went into one of his infamous rants because someone was disrespecting his glorious leader. And for the first time, no one was stopping him...

Yes, the two Quintessons were really regretting pissing off their first captor.

''Alright, alright, we'll talk, just shut him up already!'' They said in perfect harmony, both having had enough of the speech and really scared of the weapons the big purple and green Decepticon was waving around.

''Lugnut, quiet.'' Megatron said and his ever loyal servant immediately went mute. ''Now, why were you in these pods?''

The two hesitated before spilling their guts to the assembled group, going into great details so that they don't have to suffer another of Lugnut's speeches. It wasn't all that long but they didn't remember any names and they had to describe the bots they had met. No one made a peep as they talked other than to ask for a clarification. When they finished, the group was silent.

''I say we kill them.'' Strika said with the suitability of a brick.

The two spluttered.

''But we told you everything!'' One complained, panicked.

''Yeah!'' The other added, just as scared.

''We're Decepticons and you're Quintessons. Quite frankly, we don't give a frag.'' She said as she punched in new coordinates for the pods to take them to. It was of a nearby star, so they will have time for that last drink that they had from their barrels of oil given to them by the other ship's captain. She ignored their protests and showed them both into their pods and sent them off, all before the Autobots could get a word of protest in.

''Wasn't that a bit cruel?'' Hot Rod dared to speak up.

''Not at all. They'd just find some way to escape and inform their superiors of our presence here. Besides, what'd we do with them?'' The General of Destruction commented offhandedly. As if throwing two living beings into a star is just a normal, everyday thing. Maybe it was, for her. After all, her title said it all and she had said that she scared the slag out of even the DJD.

''So, what now?'' Jazz asked after a lengthy silence.

''What do you mean?'' Megatron asked. ''We continue going.''

''Yeah, but... they're obviously going further into Quintessonian space and all that. I mean, I also want OP back, safe with us, but we have Cybertron to worry about. We're losing time and this ship, that may or may not have Optimus on it, is always a feet pedesteps ahead of us.''

''Are you saying we should give up?!'' Sari exclaimed, deeply disturbed by the idea of leaving Optimus to whatever fate awaited him this deep in enemy territory with what may as well be complete strangers. ''We didn't come this far just to give up!''

Jazz raised his servos in a peaceful sign. ''I'm not saying that, ya hear. I just think we should hurry up.''

''I agree with him on that, lord Megatron.'' Strika nodded, crossing her servos. ''Someone needs to protect Cybertron and if we don't turn back soon, we might not make it in time to defend it. And that means another War for Freedom. Only this time, there might not be anyone willing enough to go and blow up more tan half their race.''

The warlord knew she was right but his spark clenched at the thought of leaving his little Prime behind.

''Then it is a good thing that we are close.'' Alpha Trion said as he finally sat down. He was really getting too old for this. Well, if he had more exercise other than speed-walking, he would be in even better shape...

''How do you know?'' Sentinel asked, for once more curious than snappish.

''Call it a hunch.''


	19. Chapter 19

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: I would like to thank all my wonderful reviewers and readers** **UnknownAlien, skyice98, Gunmetal2017, Bigbucks and ladybug02 who have all shown their respect and liking of this story. I hope you will continue enjoying it and I hope that it's still as good as when it started, if not better.**

 **As for that little contest, UnknownAlien already won herself/himself a plushy of one of his/her favorite characters from TFA or TFP (*gives huge plushy*) and I would like to congratulate her/him and thank him/her for competing.**

 **Anyway, this chapter holds very little action but a lot of talking and explaining things. There's a bit about the building relationships in our group of supposed rescuers and I am finally introducing my first Transformers OC, even you wont see more of him until the next chapter. Also, a bit of a fictional history lesson regarding our least favorite squids and no mention of some of the main characters due to the focus being on the supporting characters because they're important, too!**

 **Also, there will be little time shifts. The first and third paragraph (in between the two 00000) happen at the same time, while the second and final happen a little after them.**

 **And I'll also bring the rating up, just to be safe, cause there's a bit of cuddling and so going on. Just to be safe.**

 **Sorry for the rambling...**

 **I hope you like it...**

 **And onto the chapter we go!**

 _Previously..._

 _''Then it is a good thing that we are close.'' Alpha Trion said as he finally sat down._

 _''How do you know?'' Sentinel asked, for once more curious than snappish._

 _''Call it a hunch.''_

 _Now..._

Ever since they left Cybertron, Hot Rod felt like he had fell into a dream from which he couldn't wake up.

Not that he particularly wanted to wake up, though. Who would want to wake up from an adventure with relatively friendly (okay, so that was way too wrong a word, but maybe civil would be better?) Decepticons, learning from them new fighting techniques, hearing stories about the great war and their lives, listening to them bicker among themselves or annoy other Autobots or vice versa.

It's surreal to wake up, knowing that you have nothing to worry about other than finding a missing Autobot on a supposedly destroyed ship and then fighting Quintessons for your homeworld... Okay, so that's actually a lot to worry about, but it could have been worse. For some strange reason, Megatron had called off his Decepticons in order to be here, searching for the Autobot who had put him in prison...

Yeah, Hot Rod still didn't understand that, but he had listened to Sari, the techno-organic from Earth chosen by the Allspark, tell her friends about what happened oh Helens and what Knock Out, if he remembered correctly, told them about Decepticons and their choice of Conjunx Enduras...

Yeah, the Cons were a strange sort alright.

Anyway, about the safety thing... You just can never feel as safe as you do when you know you have big, capable warframes on board, fighting on your side and ready to protect you if the need arises.

And that's how Hot Rod felt now... Safe in the knowledge that the Cons wont kill them but protect them. Especially this Con...

Hot Rod turned in his berth so he was lying on his side to gaze up at the dark purple form of Cyclonus, still wondering how he had managed to catch the optic of this particular mech. He was ancient and a skilled fighter, unparalleled even among the Decepticons with only Megatron, Strika and the Phase Sixers as good opponents for sparing or representing a threat to him in a real battle. He had never defeated this mech but Cyclonus seems to have taken a liking to him...

He hadn't even believed it at first, thinking that the other Decepticons were teasing him for a crush he had suddenly developed that, thanks to Brawn and Hot Shot, was known throughout both ships in a matter of breems. But as the other Decepticons and even Megatron himself kept telling him that Cyclonus had changed, that he had rarely spoke and when he did he mentions only the imminent end of all things, and insists that all creation is ultimately doomed. He seems to long for this future apocalypse to come to pass and for this current age to be over, finished. That changed, he changed. He used to be a nihilist but now he was having fun, he now cared for Hot Rod and would apparently stop his stupid complete disabling of self preservation algorithms that he had possessed until recently.

Strika had even thanked him because, as much as he annoyed her, she didn't want Cyclonus to offline, especially under her command.

And a few days ago, when they were sparing at Cyclonus's suggestion, he had finally managed to land a blow to the older mech and the other had answered by pinning him to the ground and kissing him until his stabilizers were jelly.

Ever since, they were like this.

''You are going to fry your processor with how much you are thinking this early in the solar cycle.'' Cyclonus's deep voice startled the orange, brown and yellow Prime out of his thoughts, causing his new lover to chuckle fondly. ''It's a higher processor function. Don't strain yourself too hard.''

The young Prime got an indignant expression on his faceplates. ''HEY!''

It only made the Decepticon laugh a bit more and Hot Rod will never admit it to anyone but the sound was far too soothing since it was coming from one of the mechs that had been responsible for almost offlining his team and himself not all that long ago.

Before he could say anything else, Hot Shot burst into his room, not even registering who else was there as he was saying that ''another Quintesson wreckage was found some ways ahead of us and we need to get to the bridge like yesterday,'' only to freeze when he _finally_ realized Cyclonus was indeed there with his leader, holing one of his twin Bleedblack blades right under his neck tubing.

''Hot Shot...'' The leader of Team Athenia facepalmed in a perfect imitation of Prowl and sighed. ''We'll be out in a few.''

His teammate just nodded numbly, probably still not believing what he had seen.

Hot Rod then glared at him. ''And not a word of this to anyone. I mean it! Not even Brawn, I don't care if he's your bonded, it's your own fault.''

''But Hot Rod!''

His whining was only answered with an annoyed rumble from Cyclonus and he made the wise decision and fled.

Hot Rod just sighed.

It was gonna be a long solar cycle.

00000

They had encountered another Quintesson fleet and they had fought them and won.

The devastation was worse but at least everyone but the crew of the main ship (again) had fled, only this time it was Optimus who had insisted that he goes on the leading ship (Blurr had been so traumatized that he had taken a thing or two from the Jettwins's book by sneaking into Optimus's room and curling up next to his captain, effectively helping Roller get the Prime to go to recharge) but he didn't find any survivors this time around.

Except they still found a prisoner's stasis pod floating among the debris while they raided what was salvageable.

It was intact. It was found on the main ship, the only one. Blurr had hacked their systems and reported that they had been transferring this one prisoner from Quintessa to the Quintesson Queen's ship that was elsewhere. The transfer was led by one of the Queen's many consorts but he had not survived the retaliation of the Cybertronians's defenses. They had been attacked, like the last time, only there were maybe two less ships.

When they had dragged the pod in, Alpha's scans had detected a weak spark signature and thus our heroes had hurried to the medbay, only to see, once they opened the pod, a strange looking mech.

He was gunmetal gray all over his body, he had the customary two servos and two stabilizers, one helm with one face of every normal Cybertronian (no, Blitzwing was absolutely not normal, even Slipstream insisted so and she was a Decepticon). However, his biolights were exposed and glowed green, he had two tentacles on each side and his face was sharper than any other Cybertronian born mech's or femme's face can ever get. In fact, if Optimus thought about it, he resembled those mosaics of Quintus Prime, the tenth of the first Thirteen Primes except he lacked those finals all Primes shared.

All in all, he looked distinguishably Quintessonian despite being made of pure metal like a true Cybertronian.

And he had a spark signature.

It gave them all a pause when he had seen the pod open to reveal their unsuspected, third, Quintessionian guest/prisoner.

''Is he dead?'' Jetfire asked, poking at the strange mech, if their scanners were correct, that is.

''Does it matter?'' Slipstram countered nonchalantly, despite being intrigued by this creature. There was nothing in Starscream's memory files about something like this, concerning someone like this, and that seeker was no sparkling.

''Slipstream.'' Optimus growled a warning.

''What!? It's obviously a Quintesson! Why should we care?''

The Prime shook his head, deciding to answer the white and orange twin first. ''No, he's alive. The scanners show that he is in stasis and is uninjured. Whoever he is, he was well protected and the pod is impenetrable without a medical scan of a doctor. However, since Alpha Supreme had served as an emergency library and has an expert medbay, thus classing him as a medic's ship, his signature was enough to open the pod. Our friend here will be waking up in about a joor.''

''What we do with him?'' Jetstrom asked, joining his brother in poking the Quintesson. ''I thought they squashy?''

''And I was taught that they very much didn't possess sparks because they, like the rest of our fellow mechanical organisms, weren't created by Primus but by some other species, organics mostly, except for the Quintessons, who are, according to legends, created by Quintus Prime, who was a Cybertronian and thus created by Primus.'' Blurr rambled as he paced, going faster and faster in both pacing and talking as he tried to understand.

''Well, there are texts that suggest that the Quintessons, after killing their creator, started implanting organic matter into their systems so that they could be unique and no longer resemble their despised maker.'' Optimus recalled what he had once upon a time read and asked Alpha Trion about.

''You rally are a bookworm, aren't you.'' It wasn't even a question and Slipstream's voice was fond and amused.

Roller beeped exasperatedly, making everyone chuckle.

''So, what do we do with him? Send him off as well?'' Blurr asked as he gazed at the strange specimen before them. None of them wanted a repeat of that conversation with those two squids, the look on their captain's face something they never wanted to see again. Optimus didn't deserve it. Not after everything he had done for so many people out of the goodness of his gentle spark.

''We'll see. For now, place him into one of the cells. I don't want him waking up here and escaping, giving us all a lot more to worry about than landing on a war-oriented planet like Kukuzor.'' The Prime turned on his pedes and walked out, calling over his shoulder:""We have a meeting in the bridge in 20 breems. Don't be late.''

00000

''Catch me if you can, Thundercracker!'' The usually terrified seeker yelled as he zoomed by the front windows of the ships.

Starscream was silent as he watched his new trine playing, flying around the two combined Supremes.

''Just you wait! I can catch anyone!'' The other jet bragged, speeding up and almost touching his brother, only for Skywarp to teleport away, using his own warp core and giggling as he appeared behind the dark purple seeker. The lighter purple jet then threw out his tongue and taunted his brother to chase him again, screaming in fright when Thundercracker used his special thrusters to speed up more than normal seekers do and it created the noise and boom of a thunderstorm.

The former Airlord of Vos felt a pang somewhere deep in his spark at the nostalgic sight.

''You look depressed.'' First Aid observed, coming to stand next to the towering seeker by the window as Sunstorm and Ramjet barreled around each other pass the window, the yellow seeker sucking up to the cream colored liar as they chatted on. ''Shouldn't you be out there with them, as their leader or something?''

The original looked at her, raising an optical ridge. ''A trine leader is much more than any ordinary leader, and the bonds in the trine are far stronger than anything you grounders could ever imagine.''

The red and white femme medic put up her servos in a placating gesture. ''I didn't mean to imply that I know better than you, I just thought...''She trailed off, not really knowing how to finish that sentence. She had only come over because she had fled the medbay when Ironhide had come in and started asking Ratchet if he knew how to cure a trauma because of something he had seen in regards to Lugnut and Strika and the femme could guess what, so she had escaped before she got any mental images about what the two spark mates had been up to. When she had walked into the room, Starscream had been watching the mesmerizing sight of seekers in flight and she had been enchanted by it, as well as the proud figure of the once most respected not only seeker, but also flier on whole of Cybertron.

A sigh distracted her from her musings. ''I know, I apologize for being so rude.''

First Aid blinked. That was not what she was expecting.

As if reading her mind, the seeker snorted without any humor behind it.

''You Autobots truly think us uncivilized, brutal beings incapable of compassion and care, don't you.''

It bothered her how he said it as if he already knew it will never change. ''No, sorry, again.'' She sighed. ''Listen, in whole honesty, I don't know what to think. We were taught our whole lives one thing and now a bunch of some of the most famous and most dangerous Decepticons are proving almost every single one of those lessons to be nothing more but rotten propaganda. I don't know how to act around you and I am bothered by that fact, as I usually don't have this problem and I just want to get to know you all better. And I thought that there was no place better to start than with you, seeing as you are famous for trying to kill Megatron and now you're all chummy again.''

Starscream blinked at her. A few moments of silence before he sighed and gestured at his clones.

''Do you see them?''

A nod.

''They are some of the last seekers now. You Autobots call them clones, but clones have no spark and no personality. And they most certainly have both. And I'll tell you why.''

First Aid leaned in. This was going to be something that will be said only once, she just knew, so she wanted to hear everything clearly, wanted to be probably the first Autobot to hear this. She wanted to understand.

''As I have mentioned earlier, the bonds in seeker trine are unique to only us. When the bonds form and stabilize, parts of each of the seeker's sparks get mixed with each of the sparks, meaning every member has a fragment of his trine members's sparks. In other words, a trine is not three mechs or femmes, but only one, because they know each other on a level that would scare even most bond mates. When one member dies, the other two feel a part of themselves die with him, but they then live for him because they still have those fragments of his spark within their own. When another dies, the last remaining trine member lives for the three of them, even if he is miserable, he is not allowed to follow them because of his own misery and sadness, because it is his solemn duty to carry those fragments in his spark. He must live until he is either killed or offlines naturally of old age, lonely and in sorrow.''

The femme gasped. She had never thought that seekers had such a connection! She never thought anyone could have such a bod!

''The surviving trine member can occasionally go insane because of what happened to his trine members, but it's rather rare. However, what I've been trying to build up to so you would understand is about cloning seekers. You see, if you clone a seeker, especially their spark like I did in order to make these clones with the fragment of the Allspark, if that seeker's trine is extinguished then it's more likely than not that those fragments of his trine mates that he carries will be transfered to those clones.'' He paused to wave at the grinning Skywarp before the light purple seeker disappeared again when Thundercracker rushed at him. ''You can't tell me that you never heard the names of my trine mates, the infamously mischievous Skywarp and ridiculously childish Thundercracker, also known for their warp-core and booming sonic thrusters respectively.''

She nodded. ''I have, but I know them as one of the deadliest assets in the history of the Great War used against Autobot forces.'' There had been many videos that were shown to them in the Academy depicting those two and their deadly abilities. She had always had a guilty pleasure of watching those magnificent seekers flying, especially now that she can do so in person and this seeker next to her was the most famous and graceful of all, the Airlord of Vos from the end of the War for Freedom up until now.

Said Airlord grinned. ''Well, there's no lie there. Imagine the damage they used to make, Skywarp able to get in anywhere and plant bombs and get out in a blink and Thundercracker's engine that produced such powerful sonic blasts when he flew that most of the instruments of any ship around him exploded with a different variation of damage it caused. Anyway, don't you notice something interesting here? Can you make the connection?'' He gestured outside, where the clones were still having fun.

First Aid felt her optics widen to the size of saucers. ''You mean to tell me that this Thudercracker and Skywarp are-''

''Born from the fragments of sparks I carry from the original Thundercracker and Skywarp? Yes.'' He finished for her with a look of nostalgia on his faceplate. ''Although, it's not them, mind you. No, Skywarp had died with Thundercracker when TC was blown up by one of the Omega Sentinels, I'm not sure which one.''

He looked almost lost then and First Aid laid a gentle servo on his forearm since she couldn't reach reach his shoulder even if she wanted to. He jerked at her touch but didn't pull away, obviously needing the comfort that he never got for the death of his two friends.

''Are they anything like them? I mean, beyond the exaggerated parts of your personality.'' She asked while gesturing at who she meant.

Starscream chuckled fondly, his optics glazed as he was obviously lost in his memories.

''Like I said, they were mischievous and playful and childish and caring, the both of them, but TC was a bit of a egoist at times but not nearly as much as this Thundercracker is and Skywarp was jumpy due to something that had once happened to him that I will not discuss due to a promise me and TC made to him when we were sparklings. He may be in the Well of Allsparks now, but I will not disrespect the glitch in such a manner.'' He spoke fondly, optics now focusing on those two purple clones that now obviously held fragments of his friends's sparks. ''These two are finally starting to develop their own real identities and personalities and I really couldn't be happier about that. And even though they resemble them I am glad that they're not their exact copies. I would be trying to replace them if I tried to make them more like Skywarp and TC. I would rather that they become different.'' He grinned when his other two clones started trying to help Thundercracker to catch Skywarp, making the scardy-bot shriek in both fright and delight.

First Aid smiled and waved at the seekers as they all zoomed pass them once again, all childishly taunting each other and returning the wave with boisterous glee. ''And what about the other two? How did they come by and what about their names? I mean, are they random or...?'' First Aid wanted to bash her helm against the glass windows and probably would have had she not known as a medic that it was very bad for the processor. She was now just making a fool of herself, always trailing off like she couldn't hold a thought for longer than a few kliks.

Starscream chuckled lightly, finding the Autobot femme strange but cute. Who would have thought, right? They might just end up being friends...

As he thought about answering her question, his smile and happiness evaporated. How long had he not thought of this?

''Sunstorm was the name... Thundercracker had wanted to call his first sparkling he was supposed to get with Skywarp. He was carrying when they all died and, as their only surviving trine member, I got the little one's spark fragment, too.'' At her horrified and confused expression he smiled bitterly. ''I guess that I had not explained well enough, huh? A trine shares everything quite literally. When a trine member gets bonded to someone, his trine mates get, through him, a bond to his Conjunx Endura. It's only at the level to sense their distress or if they are in danger, but it's still there. When a trine member gets a sparkling, his trine mates raise it with him and his bonded. A trine member's Amica Endura is the entire trine's Amica Endura. A trine shares everything, seeing as they carry each other's spark fragments in their sparks. One of the reasons why the trine bond between seekers is unmatched by anything but the bond between spark-twins or two Conjunx Endura.''

''Oh.'' Was all his companion could say. What else was there to say, after hearing all of this. No wonder people said the seeker had gone mad, it just might have been true. He had lost his trine mates and a sparkling he was allowed by the bond to consider his own... Anyone would have gone insane from losing so many loved ones.

''And Ramjet?'' She almost feared the answer.

Starscream's wings hitched higher and started minutely shaking, making the femme flinch at the misery she might have caused. But before either of them could react or say anything further, Brawn came in, a grave look on his face.

''We have a meeting in a few kliks. Apparently, another pile of wreckage of Quintessonian ships has been found floating in space rather near Kukozor.'' With that, he walked away, leaving the claret red seeker and the red and white medibot.

They just looked at each other then walked out of the room together, the silent promise to finish the conversation later hanging in the air.

00000

Optimus cursed the citizens of Kukozor's capital, Razarok, to the pit and back as he frantically tried to drag in Jetstrom, who had been injured by the warmongering natives.

Kukozor was once a peaceful planet but rumors around the galaxy said that the Quintessons had come to the robotic planet and tempered with their processors in order to make themselves a new military force tht was supposed to rival Cybertronian warframes. Needless to say, they couldn't be matched but the new Kukozorians were more than enough to completely obliterate mere Autobots, the civilianframes once upon a time protected by their now enemies.

The had landed, treaded and refueled before someone had noticed Slipstream was a Decepticon and had demanded that they battle for the honor of one of their own saying that they had defeated one of Cybertron's mighty warframes. Slipstream had refused but on a planet like this, it was the greatest offense and so our little group was attacked and although they had all fought valiantly, they had still had to flee and in doing so, Jetstorm had taken a hit for Slipstream, who had not noticed one of their attackers coming from behind.

Jetfire had burned half of the capital to the ground in his anger.

As he was making his way towards the medbay, he had to pass the holding cells and jumped with his ax at the ready when a voice behind him spoke up suddenly.

''He needs medical attention.''

Optimus spun around to find himself faceplate to faceplate with their Quintesson prisoner, no longer cuffed but still behind the bars, looking at Optimus with old optics that reminded the Prime of Alpha Trion, even if they were emerald green and not sea-blue like the Archivist's.

''I know, I'm taking him to the emergency room right now and you're stalling me.''

The gray mech put up his hands in the universal sin of good will. ''I meant to do no such thing, but I did wish to extend a helping servo to your friend. I know that you don't trust me, but I hate seeing others suffer and I would like to help. I can be under the surveillance of your medic if you so wished and I would do all he says, I just want to help.''

Optimus frowned. ''You know Cybertronian medicine?'' He had to ask, because he was far too incredulous to believe him. Sure, his people had once been under the Quintessons, for a very short time and it had all been during the war and the Quints aren't exactly well known for helping their enemies, even if they were POWs and expensive hostages.

The Qunitesson smiled sadly. ''I was taught by my Lord Quintus himself. My Lord Quintus loved all life and he had originally planed for our species to be allies if not friends. However, as you know, it never happened and he was killed...'' He looked away with a lost look in his optics. ''By his own creations, my brothers and sisters... She did it, as if he had not given her life...''

Optimus felt something pull at his spark at the mention of one of the First Cybertronians ever created. He had to shake his helm and only snapped back fully to focus when Jetstorm whimpered and he heard, over the comms, Slipstream trying to calm down Jetfire. He had to make a decision, because while he could use either of stored energies they had at their disposal, he had a feeling those were meant for greater things than things that a trained medic could easily cure, like he had told the Jettwins regarding his own and Slipstream's injuries not so long ago.

Besides, they could do with a medic, if what this Quintesson was saying was true...

''Who are you?'' He finally asked.

The gunmetal gray mech smiled at him, his tentacles lowered nonthreateningly and extended his servo in a gesture of friendship. Optimus hesitated only for a second before grasping it and the strange Quintesson's smile widened.

''I am Artemis, thirteenth of the first hundred Quintessons my Lord Quintus created.''


	20. Chapter 20

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 _Previously..._

 _''You know Cybertronian medicine?''_

 _''I was taught by my Lord Quintus himself. My Lord Quintus loved all life and he had originally planed for our species to be allies if not friends. However, as you know, it never happened and he was killed... By his own creations, my brothers and sisters... She did it, as if he had not given her life...''_

 _Optimus felt something pull at his spark at the mention of one of the First Cybertronians ever created._

 _Besides, they could do with a medic, if what this Quintesson was saying was true..._

 _''Who are you?'' He finally asked._

 _The gunmetal gray mech smiled at him._

 _''I am Artemis, thirteenth of the first hundred Quintessons my Lord Quintus created.''_

 _Now..._

''He should be fine after a couple of days rest.'' Artemis said as he put away the medical tools and scans he had used.

Optimus nodded and watched as Jetfire cuddle with his twin, who tried to comfort him, knowing the orange and white bot had been scared. The Prime already saw those two sneaking into his room tonight to chase away their nightmares that will surely come after what they had lived through today. They had all actually had a scare, because Jetstorm had taken the full blast and had fallen out of the sky, limp and numb and unresponsive. Slipstream looked like she might just throw away her seeker's pride and join in with the twin cuddle fest that was going to come this recharging cycle. And Blurr was also going to come, 100%, as he had been the one to catch him before the blue twin hit the ground and thus had been dripped on by Jetstorm's life-giving energon and had been covered in it for more than 20 breems.

Roller would probably stay with them, too, as he was a worrywart.

''However, he shouldn't train, no, mustn't! I will personally tie him down if he so much as tries to fly or transform! I swear it on Primus's holy name!''

The blue twin tried to make himself smaller as he nodded frantically. The Quintesson had been nice and gentle but it would seem that he possessed the same temper when regarding injuries as any other medic he had met so far.

Optimus nodded once. ''Understood.'' He looked seriously at the blue little jet and he saluted as best as he could while lying down and still hugging his brother.

''Um, I didn't know you squids respect Primus?'' Slipstream asked in order to steer the conversation away from her trine-mate that had gotten hurt because she wasn't careful enough. She felt really bad about it and she at least wanted to get their new medic off his backstruts, if nothing else.

Artemis turned to look at her and inspected the few repairs he had had to make on her, too. Actually, everyone had had to surrender themselves to the Quintesson's care because of some injury or another, even Roller, and he had done an excellent job, even better than when Knock Out had treated Optimus and Slipstream. He will be a good addition to the team if he proves to be trustworthy.

''Oh, these new generations most assuredly don't, the young idiots.'' He shrugged and started distributing medical grade energon, seeing as Roller was injured too and Artemis wouldn't allow him to do so. The Minicon had still kept a sharp optic on him but the gray mech hadn't tried anything. Yet. ''But we were once upon a time taught about Unicron and Primus and how the Universe came to be and about my Lord Quintus's brothers and sister... But she didn't like that so she had forbidden it ever mentioned anywhere.''

''You keep mentioning this 'she'... Who are you talking about?'' The Prime questioned after taking a sip and found it that it was almost delicious. He must have added something.

Artemis noticed his look and grinned. ''I added what my Lord Quintus told me was his youngest brother's favorite flavor to the energon,'' He then said a word that was pure gibberish to everyone but Optimus, who nodded and smiled as he took another sip of his fuel.

''It's mine, too. My mentor used to make it for me, but with low grade or mid grade energon.''

''Anyway, the she I am talking about is my sister, the fourth Quintesson created, Quintessa, the Queen herself. She was supposed to be a likenesses of my Lady Solus Prime, my Lord Quintus's only sister, but she ended up being wicked and twisted and she had hated my Lord Quintus to the point that she had convinced all of our other brothers to rally against him and kill my Lord Quintus. I was the only one who hadn't followed her because... I was rather close to my Lord Quintus and would never dare to hurt him.''

That same pang he had felt earlier came back at the mention of the two ancient Primes.

''Wow! But doesn't that make you a prince or something!?'' Jetfire asked, springing up in order to look at Artemis properly and both he and his twin thankfully took their energon cubes from the Quintesson.

Artemis smiled bitterly. ''I would rather still be my Lord Quintus's helper than a prince to the race who had so coldly killed the one who had given them life.''

''So, why were you in the stasis pod for prisoners?'' Blurr asked after drinking his energon, sip by sip, being careful not to gulp it down like he once used to, when he refueled alone.

Artemis had to blink before he understood what had been asked. He still hadn't gotten used to Blurr's speed, but then again, he had been online in their presence only a joor or so. ''Because I am a prisoner of 'Queen' Quintessa.'' Not only were there air quotes heard in his tone at the tittle but he spat out the word 'queen' as if it was the cosmic rust in his mouth.

''But I thought you prince?'' Jetstorm asked, carefully leaning back on the pillow mesh the Quintesson had placed for him if he was going to be sitting up. He was going to be released from the medberth in a few joors, after his welds have settled. It had been a nasty blow.

''I am called a prince and I am held in a lavish room, but I have no power. She only keeps me close because I and one of her consorts are her last brothers and no matter how much she hated my devotion to my Lord Quintus, she refuses to offline me and protects me. She has been trying for eons to get me to come to her side, but even in his death, I have remained loyal to my Lord Quintus. It enrages her, but she has not given up on the idea of a united front with me for far too long. I fear she might come after you.''

Slipstream huffed. ''She is welcome to try and take on a threatened Decepticon warframe all she wants, not to mention that we are a great team and have singlehandedly defeated two fleets without any major trouble.''

''She got point.'' Jetfire nodded, sipping his energon.

''We were lucky that we had faced smaller units, scouts and not warriors.'' Optimus informed them, putting away his now empty cube. ''Because of their weaknesses from their organic tissue, the Quintessons always make bigger fleets or attack forces, not really caring how many people they sacrifice as long as they meet their final goal. One of the reasons they are so vulnerable to begin with.''

Artemis raised an optical ridge. ''You seem to know quite a bit.'' There was hidden question there.

Optimus shrugged with a smile. ''I am a bit of a history geek. My mentor of sorts always fund amusing or something and was more than glad to teach me everything he knows. And he knows quite a bit.''

The Quintesson smiled. ''And who is he, if you do not mind me asking?''

''Alpha Trion, the Master Archivist.''

Artemis jerked back as if he was struck in the face without any reason. ''He is still alive?'' He asked, hope clear in his voice and it confused the little crew. Optimus nodded and the Quintesson sagged in relief. ''Praise the Allspark!''

''You respect the Allspark, too?'' Blurr asked, incredulous.

A snort. ''Of course I do! Have I not said that my Lord Quintus had taught us, once upon a time, to respect Primus.''

''Primus and the Allspark are two very different things.'' The Intelligence Agent insisted.

''The Allspark is a fragment of Primus's own spark, so they are not quite so different as you may think.'' Artemis countered.

''I didn't know that.'' Blurr replied, intrigued.

''Of course you did not. Your society, from the little I have been able to see and hear in my comfortable prison, is not only xenophobic but also guards its sacred secretes so that the populace would not understand just how wrong and corrupt your system is, would not stand up against your government.'' He looked furious. ''Most of your kind does not even know to name the Thirteen Primes, if they even know them, and not to mention that they had taken their sacred name to make a military rank that is inferior to the Magnus. I would say 'Sacrilege' had it been up to me, but Quintessa is quite happy with that. The less your kind knows about our greatest foes, the better for the Quintessons. They all make me sick.''

''What do you mean?'' Optimus asked, leaning forward, not wanting to miss a word of this story.

''You might as well tell us your whole life story, you'll just end up telling us anyway, you know.'' Slipstream casually said as she finished her energon.

''Very well, but first tell me this.'' He looked directly at the young captain. ''What do you know about the Primes?''

Optimus didn't even blink before he started talking.

''There were Thirteen of them, all created directly from Primus himself, sparks from his Spark and frames from his own Frame, the metal plates that now consist of the ground we all walk on. In the beginning, no ,even before the beginning, there was a single being living in nothingness, known simple as The One, with a capital O. Getting lonely, The One started conversing with himself and with time, that wasn't a concept back then, started realizing that it wasn't really One anymore, but two. Those were the initial consciousnesses of the two entities it later on split into, Primus, the first and one, and Unicron, the unique and one. With this split, Existence began. They were still one body and one spark, but they were two entities altogether, different from one another and those differences will grow until their body and spark split as well, making the first split-spark twins and also making Space. Unicron despised the matter that had started forming around him and his brother, seeing as Primus was so fascinated by prospect of new worlds and life he spoke less with his brother, but never ignored him, but Unicron wanted his brother's full attention so he started destroying everything in his path. Horrified at what his brother was doing, Primus tried to stop him but the newly developing lives and worlds never were able to take the amount of power the two deities used in their fights and would die just as often from the fighting as they would by Unicron's victory. Seeing this, Primus started fighting in earnest, trying his hardest to fight his twin away from new possible worlds, but Unicron was stronger than his peaceful brother. And Unicron, seeing that this got him his brother's attention, was pleased and continued doing as he was until he became mad with it and actually started enjoying it and Primus's misery at every destroyed world, but was still annoyed that his brother cared so much about them.''

''Really?'' Jetfire asked, having been silent this who time, not believing what he was hearing.

''We never taught this in Academy!'' Jetstorm complained, because really. The story was so interesting, especially the way Optimus told it. It was as if he had firsthand knowledge of it... Maybe he was just that good at telling stories.

''Starscream's memory files don't have anyhting this detaild, only the names of the Thirteen.'' Slipstream commented, not knowing what to think about what she was hearing. She was a youngling, hearing about the beginnings of her race that not even her creator seemed to know. How was she supposed to react to this?

''They would have never let you, or anyone, talk about this on Cybertron.'' Blurr spoke, his words almost indecipherable as he got up and anxiously paced. ''You would have been made to disappear from public eye, made MIA or KIA or your existence would have been erased altogether! Where did you get this information?'' He turned to Optimus, obviously worried for him. As the others heard this, they also turned anxious optics to their leader, but Optimus waved their worry off with a servo and a small smile.

''You don't need to worry about it, Blurr. Alpha Trion told me and read me the stories himself, where no one could hear us. He made me promise to never mention anything about it until I knew I was with someone that wouldn't rat mi out, so no one but you guys knows what I know. And I hope that I can trust you with this, because it would really hurt if any one of you exposed this about me.''

The denials and oaths and promises were shouted before he even finished his sentence, making Optimus smile but Artemis was looking at the young leader with strange optics. The Prime turned to look at him and saw it so he raised a questioning optic ridge at the Quintesson, who just shook his head and said he would never talk about this to anyone on Cybertron even without being asked not to.

''Please continue story?'' The Jettwins turned pleading optics on their trine leader and said red and blue bot chuckled.

''It's not story, it's fact, no matter what scientists are trying to prove. But, anyway, when Primus realized that nothing can ever prosper as long as Unicron was like that, he decided to do something. Since fighting him on his own was now out of the question, Primus decided to change the only factor in their would-be-eternal fight he could control and he transformed himself into a giant metal planet that we now call Cybertron.''

Gasps of awe were heard and they all turned to Artemis to confirm what Optimus was saying and the Quintesson only nodded once. They turned back to their captain, wonder in their optics, crowding around him, even Roller, since Alpha Trion had never spoken of these things around the Minicon. It had nothing to do with trust, but the Archivist had wanted some alone time with Optimus, so Roller was also very curious, even though Minicos shard more of their origins with their people than any Cybertronians did nowadays.

''In this form, Primus was able to concentrate all of his energy and he created the first life forms other than himself and his brother, the first Thirteen Primes: Prima, Vector Prime, Alpha Trion, Solus Prime, Micronus Prime, Alchemist Prime, Nexus Prime, Onyx Prime, Amalgamous Prime, Quintus Prime, Liege Maximo, Megatronus Prime and the mysterious Thirteenth Prime. Each of them were given immense power so that they could rival Unicron if they were a united front and each of their birth brought something new into the soon to be Universe. However, knowing Unicron had to be stopped Primus created the Thirteen by combining elements of himself and Unicron, to allow for more varied attacks and stop the Chaos Bringer. The Thirteen defeated him but at the cost of taking a seed of darkness into themselves. They grew paranoid, arrogant and at times cruel or selfish. They started acting rashly and let their tempers get the better of them. It soon started the War of the Primes, when Megatronus Prime accidentally fired his Requiem Blaster at Solus in a heated argument and she died from the wound, creating the Well where the Allspark was later placed. The Well led straight to Primus, waking him up for a short period of time. Prima accused Megatronus that he did it on purpose and they met in battle over the waste we now call the Sea of Rust. Liege Maximo sided with Megatronu Prime, saying he doesn't like how Prima leads. Everyone started fighting over something, Alchemis and Quintus about scientific things, Micronus and Alpha Trion over how to calm everyone down, Nexus and Onyx about possible new species they were thinking about making, Vector and Amalgamous about transformation and time and who knows what else, the point was, everyone was fighting.''

''But what about the Thirteenth?! You didn't mention him at all!'' Slipstream noticed and protested.

Optimus grinned.

''Remember how I said Primus woke up for a while?''

They all nodded.

''Well, he sensed their unrest and called for the one Prime he knew was not affected by the darkness of Unicron's spark. As the other Primes were fighting, the Thirteenth entered the Well and spoke with Primus, receiving a divine mission to stop his brothers from destroying themselves. He blessed his spark and demanded that he give his other creations a reason to work together once again, and the Thirteenth thought up the greatest idea that ended up being more than successful. He rushed to stop his brothers from causing further death but he was too late because Liege Maximo had been struck down and offlined. His anguish stopped the others, all turning to care for their youngest and realized just what they had done. They threw down their weapons and looked at each other in horror. Onyx Prime was mortally wounded and it was only a matter of time and Micronus Prime had been hit by one of the eleventh Prime's poisonous arrows and his strength was being drained out, meaning he would die soon, too. Stricken with what they had become, they begged their youngest brother to forgive them and the Thirteenth did, under one condition. He led them back to the Well and said his goodbyes and before anyone could question him or stop him, he jumped into the Well. Primus welcomed his youngest child and learned of his plan and accepted that his youngest will forever be beyond his grasp, so he allowed a fragment of his Spark to detach and surround the Thirteenth, who then shaped it into the Allspark and made a casing for it from his very own body, which made it indestructible and impenetrable.''

''You mean...? The Allspark was once a person?'' The light blue racer sounded almost horrified by the idea.

Optimus nodded. ''That's why I once told Sari that the Allspark must have chosen her for a good reason. It didn't feel like a mindless object of great power to me, but like it had some leftover consciousness.''

Slipstream looked even more disturbed than when she first heard about what the Allspark once was.

''And when did you feel this? That it might be sentient to some level?'' Their resident Quintesson asked.

''On Earth, when we were fighting Starscream, a Decepticon seeker, I offlined when I fell from a big height. Sari used her Key, which had been infused with the Allspark's life-giving energies, and tried to revive me but it wasn't quite enough until the Allspark, not a few feet away, reacted, too. Ratchet, my team's medic, had told me that it had flared up as if my offlining was a personal offense or something, but other's have been brought back by it as well. I think that is was just sick of all the deaths.''

Optimus's shrug was so out of place that the other's fell out of their seats, anime style.

''Anyway, the Well of Allsparks lit up and Micronus Prime realized that it was ready to give new life, so before all of their strength could be drained away, he and Onyx Prime entered and gave their energy to the new Allspark. Thousands of new sparks were born and flew out of the Well, startling the remaining Primes and awing them by the new life that was presented to them. Primus sent to Prima and Alpha Trion that they were now their responsibility as sparklings, one by one, exited the Well and so the First Generation was born. Feeling unworthy of the innocence before him, as well as being the catalyst to the death of three brothers and his bonded and only sister, Megatronus Prime made peace with his remaining siblings and left Cybertron with a heavy and half-empty spark due to their deaths and soon rumors and then legends were made up that in his sorrow he created a black hole and fell in to die. He's known as The Fallen now both due to this and to the fact that he was the first to kill. Quintus Prime stayed long enough to write medical journals for his brethren to use before departing to explore the slowly developing Universe and create new species. You know what happened to him.''

Artemis winced and the others gave him pitying looks.

Optimus sighed, feeling his spark constrict in unknown pain, not really understanding it.

''Vector Prime felt hollow after everything that had happened to his brothers and after making sure time will flow correctly, he created a dimension for himself so he can die in peace there and gave Nexus Prime the only key to that dimension, then left and offlined, returning to the Allspark to his brethren. Nexus Prime then separated into his five components and each one took a piece of the key and went into far reaches of space, where they defended them for eons until they all offlined , except one, who took the pieces back and returned them to Cybertron, just as the Quintessons came the first time. He died on his way to Alpha Trion.''

''Wait, the Alpha Trion from Council?'' Jetfire asked.

The Prime sighed. ''I had thought about that from time to time myself, but he never confirmed it.''

''But he never denied it, either, did he?'' The only femme on the ship asked.

Her Prime smiled. ''No, he did not. Anyway, when the Quintessons came to the planet, Amalgamous Prime tried to lead away the new sparklings while the grown femmes and mechs were getting ready to defend their planet. However, the Quints attacked them first and trying to defend them, Amalgamous Prime gave up his life and bestowed his transformation powers to the Cybertronians and died. Their new ability gave our ancestors the edge even if we still hadn't had our space bridges or flying contraptions, we did have our warframes. However, it wasn't enough as the Quintessons had took other peoples to be parts of their army so they had the advantage of numbers, but it didn't matter soon enough, as Prima used his legendary Star Saber and cut through their forces like it was air. However, the resulting explosion killed him, but the attackers had to leave. Alchemist Prime and Alpha Trion, now the only Primes left alive, took over fully the leading of our ancestors from Prima and they had difficulties, but they managed, until the Quintessons returned for the second time. They had managed to corner Alchemist Prime, but he had taken down many with him in a gas chamber. Our people were then imprisoned and after some time, Alpha Trion found a good tacticion and leader to help to free them, but after that, he faded out of public eye and no one actually knows what had happened to him.''

Optimus took another cube of energon, low grade, and took a long swig, his intake dry from all the talking.

''But before their fallout and their deaths, they had done great things. With their birth came the stars, time, sparks and EM fields, the ability to read and write, to learn, our special abilities and personalities that make us all different and sentient and so much more. Prima, Alpha Trion, Alchemist Prime and Amalgamous Prime had been tutoring the First Generation and every next one, as they and their brothers had once upon a time their youngest brother. They had all had their special artifact of power that only a Prime, like them, not like me, could use. Those were sent off somewhere where the Quintessons, nor anyone else, could find and try to use for their own purposes.'' He looked at the ancient mech beside him. ''Isn't that all?''

Artemis looked thoughtful as he answered. ''More or less. Megatronus Prime hadn't died in a dark hole, he had traveled across the Universe and upon hearing what had happened to his people, he had flew to Quintessa and used the Requiem Blaster and destroyed three thirds of our population, right in my sister's nasal plating.''

Now even Optimus looked shocked. ''Are trying to tell me that we had won, both times, only because the Primes had helped us? That Megatronus was the warframe that had sacrificed himself for Cybertron's freedom?''

Artemis smiled. ''But of course! My Lord Quintus had taught us that the only one who could stand up to my Lord Prima in power and brute strength, as well as fighting skills, was my Lord Megatronus Prime, although my Lord the Thirteenth was just as good a fighter, since he was taught by them all.''

The young Prime nodded. ''Makes sense.''

''It does.'' Blurr conceded.

''Why you talk like that?'' Jetfire asked.

''Like what?'' The Quint asked, not understanding.

''When talking about Quintus Prime, you always say 'my Lord Quintus' and never address him differently.'' Jetstorm explained.

''We not mean offense!'' The orange and white twin immediately said, looking apologetic but sincere.

''Yeah! Just curious!'' The blue twin added.

''We not ones to talk. We speak strange, too.'' The fire twin said and his twin nodded.

''Oh!'' Artemis now understood. ''It is because I will respect him and his brethren until the day I die like no other, so I express it like so. I would like to keep his memory alive, even if only by saying his name.'' He explained and Optimus could have sworn he had seen the Quintesson blush.

''So, it's true, all the things Optimus had just said?'' Slipstream had to make sure.

Artemis nodded.

''And what about you/ Now, it's your time to tell a story!'' Blurr said, actually excited to hear about how their ancient enemies had lived and how they live and think now.

''I was made 13th and in the ancient Quintessonian dialect, which was developed from the Language of the Primes, it means thirteen. My Lord Quintus said I reminded him of his youngest brother and since I was already number 13, he paid extra close attention to my frame. Because of my mild manner, I soon became his favorite and his constant companion. Where my Lord Quintus went, I went there, too. My Lord Quintus taught me everything he knew, even things he hadn't the rest of my brothers and sisters. Quintessa hated my Lord Quintus for being the only one who knew how to make us so she tricked him to teach us how to make more Quintessons. When they taught my Lord Quintus had taught them all they needed to know, they followed Quintessa and killed him, having sedated me first. I was unable to move and I could only watch as my Lord Quintus fought for his survival and my own, since he had thought they would kill me too, but Quintessa had demanded that I be left alone. I was knocked into stasis by whatever they had given me short after my Lord Quintus's optics went dark forever, his spark chamber torn out and apart. Quintessa visited me, along with our 50th brother, who she had taken as her consort, and she made sure I ate and rested, even though I had wanted nothing more than to die. She wouldn't let that happen, she wanted as much of her first brothers and sisters at her side when she went to conquer the world my Lord Quintus had loved and the people he loved so much because they came from his youngest brother. It was during one of those visits that she had found out why I was different and why my Lord Quintus had paid extra attention to me during my building and my function.''

He opened his chest plates and allowed everyone to see his weak, green spark. It was so different from the strong blue and purple sparks of Decepticons and the gentle blue and white sparks of Autobots. It beat weakly, swirled slowly and was barely there, but it was.

''I am the only one who has a spark. My Lord Quintus had unexpectedly made me like this and he had treasured me even as he hid me from my other brothers and sisters. When Quintessa found out, she got the twisted idea that she can make our race stronger if she enslaved the Cybertronians and pluck out their beating sparks and insert them into the already twisted Quintessonian bodies she and the rest of my brethren had created. She had tried caressing it often, but I never allowed it. She thought it funny but she never shared my secret with anyone.''

Artemis took a long intake and held it as he remembered all those painful memories. He almost jumped out of his plating when he felt a gentle servo on his arm and looked up into the even gentler and very wise eyes of the compassionate Optimus Prime. He stared in awe as the young leader sat beside him, giving him silent support he had not had since his creator's death. The rest of the crew followed the example and he was soon surrounded by friends he vowed to himself he will protect and get to know as well as he had once known his Lord Quintus.

''I only got news outside my chambers every fifth orn, when either Quintessa or Pepest, her consort and my brother, came to gloat or growl about something. That's how I know what happened to my Lord Megatronus, because Quintessa recognized him as a Prime and counting heads and power, I knew it could only be him.''

''Why were you being transfered?'' Slipstream asked when he didn't continue with anything.

''Because my sister had wanted me there when she took Cybertron and since Pepest had just died because someone had blown up his fleet, I was the only one beside her from the first 100 Quintessons.''

''Well, slag.'' The seeker cursed.

''Hm, what?''

''We were the ones that blew up that fleet. They had attacked and we had defended ourselves. I'm sorry about your brother.'' Optimus was the one that replied, truly sorry.

Artemis closed his optic shutters and sighed sadly. ''It is alright. I understand. Pepest was a hot head since his youth. He was also ruthless, so he would have killed you without a second thought, and I am very much glad that he hadn't.'' He stood up and put away the cracked cube he had damaged sometime during telling the part of his Lord Quintus's death. ''And if he had, I would not have met such potential. The Universe would have lost something truly precious.''

The others looked at each other and just shrugged, not knowing what to think about that.

Artemis chuckled. ''Look at me, telling my life story to a bunch of bots whose designations I never learned.''

The others flushed when they realized just how rude they had been. Here he was, giving them kindness and sating their curiosity and fixing them up, but they had never introduced themselves.

''Well, let's meet officially now.'' Optimus said as he got up and extended a servo to the mech he only now realized was over a head taller than him. ''Welcome aboard the Axalon, which is the code name for one of the Omega Sentinels. Say hi, Alpha Supreme.''

''Hello.'' Alpha gladly introduced himself, making the Quintesson jump, startled.

Artemis smiled when he calmed down and spoke into the nearest camera. ''A pleasure.'' He said sincerely.

''This is Intelligence Agent Blurr, who serves here as a surveillance and communications officer as well as our spy master.''

Blurr saluted and Artemis returned it respectfully, although both were smiling.

''My First Officer and flight specialist, as well as our current weapons specialist, seeker Slipstream, created from Starscream, Airlord of Vos.''

Said seeker greeted him with a fist over her spark, how warriors greet each other or those they respect, and the Quintesson returned it.

''Jetfire and Jetstorm, the first flying Autobots, part of my trine along with Slipstream.''

The two saluted as well and it was once more returned.

''Roller, who has been my friend since I was a sparkling and our little helper around here, a Minicon. He has served to monitor our fights from the bridge, so I am guessing you two will get to spend a lot of time together.''

Roller beeped happily and Artemis waved at him with a smile.

''And I am the leader of this little crew, the trine leader and captain of this ship as well as Alpha's mentorbot, Optimus Prime.''

As soon as his name slipped past his lip plates, Artemis got a look of understanding and unimaginable happiness spread across his faceplate.

''It will be a pleasure serving under you, my Lord Optimus Prime.''


	21. Chapter 21

**War as Old**

 **as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: Hello again! This is a note for the last chapter as well as this one. Sooo... Our heroes found out a little about the Ancient Primes and a bit about the Quintessons... The reason they started changing themselves will be discussed at a later date, but that's it for now. Anyway, since the last chapter was all about Optimus and his crew, we're going back to Megs and the other would-be rescuers... Keep in mind that they are still a bit behind OP and his group, not just distance vise but also time vise, too, so they're yet to find the second ruins in which Artemis had been prisoner as well as visit** **Kukuzor and all that, so they have absolutely no idea what is slowly brewing on the Axalon, AKA Alpha Supreme. And regarding what Artemis, my OC, figured out, well it won't be reviled for another few chapters...**

 **Speaking of which, I am actually rather close to the end of this story and it makes me a bit sad. :'( It was fun, but I would estimate another ten chapters at the most, maybe two or three more, but definitely around ten.**

 **Anyway, I hope you liked it so far and will continue liking it to the end!**

 **And onto the new chapter we go! :D**

 _Previously..._

 _''Look at me, telling my life story to a bunch of bots whose designations I never learned.''_

 _''Well, let's meet officially now. Welcome aboard the Axalon, which is the code name for one of the Omega Sentinels. Say hi, Alpha Supreme.''_

 _''Hello.''_

 _''A pleasure.''_

 _''This is Intelligence Agent Blurr, who serves here as a surveillance and communications officer as well as our spy master. My First Officer and flight specialist, as well as our current weapons specialist, seeker Slipstream, created from Starscream, Airlord of Vos. Jetfire and Jetstorm, the first flying Autobots, part of my trine along with Slipstream. Roller, who has been my friend since I was a sparkling and our little helper around here, a Minicon. He has served to monitor our fights from the bridge, so I am guessing you two will get to spend a lot of time together.''_

 _''And I am the leader of this little crew, the trine leader and captain of this ship as well as Alpha's mentorbot, Optimus Prime.''_

 _As soon as his name slipped past his lip plates, Artemis got a look of understanding and unimaginable happiness spread across his faceplate._

 _''It will be a pleasure serving under you, my Lord Optimus Prime.''_

 _Now..._

''Thanks for explaining it to me Ratchet, Perceptor, Wheeljack. I actually feel a bit better after talking about it.'' Ironhide said as he walked out, leaving the above mention alone in the medbay again.

The medic shook his helm as he sat down by his old friend, who was tinkering with something again. At first, the green, red and white inventor had been staying in the Steelhaven, despite Ratchet demanding that Wheeljack be under his personal supervision and stay in the Orion with the medic at all times, Ultra Magnus had actually listened to Sentinel when the blue Prime suggested that a weapons inventor shouldn't be anywhere near where a bounty hunter stayed or where the Cons moved around as freely as they did atop their own ship, so the explosives mechanic had stayed near his superiors.

Ratchet issued one last warning, only to be snapped at by Sentinel, which earned the Magnus an incredulous glare from Megatron. Somehow, knowing that the infamous slagmaker himself was trusting your opinion made things all the better when, the first recharge cycle, the warlord slept in Omega Supreme, just as an explosion shook both shipformers, coming from Wheeljack's temporary lab.

Utter chaos had ensued and Ratchet could only gloat as Ultra Magnus conceded that the medic had been right and he was from now on to observe closely what the inventor was working on.

Because, even though Ratchet loved his good old friend to bits, quite frankly, he was a safety and security hazard. Whatever he touched, it was only a matter of time before it exploded, despite that not being its purpose.

''Poor kid. To catch those two interfacing would be enough to give even the most hardened warriors nightmares for life.''

Perceptor nodded distractedly, reading something on one of his datapads as he drank a cube of energon. ''It is quite unfortunate that our youngsters learn of interface only when they catch someone doing it. It used to be normal, but the caste system had forbidden it centuries ago.''

''Yeah! It's not fair. They did it just so they can control who ended up where doing what.''

''They were control freaks, Wheeljack. Of course they were going to do that.'' The old doctor told his friend, keeping a sharp eye for any sparks or fires starting on his friend's newest invention. They most definitely didn't need a repeat of what had happened earlier on on their little rescue mission.

''So, Perceptor?'' The genius looked at his fellow scientist and inventor as 'Jack finally put the potential new unintentional explosive down. ''You said our youngsters learn of interface the messy way... How did you learn of it?''

Had the microscope mech still been able to express emotions like he used to, he would have been uncomfortable and blushing. ''Do you know of Skyfire?''

''Of course!'' Wheeljack exclaimed in delight. ''One of our own fellow scientists! A genius! Used to research reproductive systems of us Cybertronians and compare them to organics. His work was eventually outlawed due to the caste system.''

''Not to mention he was infamous for being one of the last _born_ mechs, with a civilian carrier and a warframe sire.'' Ratchet added, having read his files. ''He was assassinated around the middle of our conflict with the Decepticons.''

Perceptor nodded, actually looking melancholic. ''We used to be best friends, Amica Endura even. Even after the war started. He was neutral but didn't leave Cybertron, mostly stayed with his spark mate. After all, he was carrying at the time. The only Autobot flightframe and they had killed him, because they had feared he would turn to the Decepticons since his mate was one, but Skyfire was a gentle spark and disliked all conflicts. He would have rather let another offline him than fight them. So his bonded was especially protective of him, as well as his trine had been. But, he could not always be with him and when he was out, fighting for his Cause while Skyfire had stayed in his lab, doing research that had nothing to do with the war effort, a unit had come and killed him. His mate had almost gone insane, since he had survived the burn of losing a spark mate, and I could no longer express emotions anymore, with the loss of my only true friend.''

''Who was his mate?'' Wheeljack asked but Ratchet took one of the nearby wrenches and wackes him over the helm. ''OW! Ratch!'' He whined while the medic sent him a glare.

''Don't be rude, Jack. It's none of our business.''

''But-''

A knock interrupted him and First Aid stuck her helm in, a smile on her dermas. ''Is it safe now?'' She was only half joking and the three older mechs could sympathize. No one wanted those images stuck in their CPU.

''Yeah, you can come in, kid. It's safe.''

''Um, I know I probably shouldn't ask this, especially not now, but... Was...? Can I- Can I ask you a question?'' She directed it at Perceptor.

The red bot just looked at her, his expression not changing. ''You just did.'' He said in his monotone.

She laughed nervously. ''Another one, then?''

He refrained from telling her that she had just asked another question again and just nodded. ''Yes?''

''Um, I overheard your conversation, well a little part, only, I swear!'' She raised her servos in a defensive position and looked at them in the optics to show she was sincere. ''I, um, was wondering if Skyfire's bond mate was, perhaps, Starscream?''

And they all got a shock of their functions.

Perceptor flinched, his face changing for a second although no one could decipher what it had meant.

''I'm sorry!'' The usually confident field medic squeaked.

''It is unnecessary. You just managed to ... take me by surprise. But, yes, you are right. Skyfire was Starscream's mate.''

The other two turned to look at Perceptor, until Ratchet remembered something.

''Of course! Starscream must have met him on one of his excursions to our grounder labs while he was still not Airlord of Vos! It would make sense why he had started coming more repeatedly to Iacon. He was courting Skyfire.'' The red and white bot nodded to himself and Wheeljack thought about it.

''That's right. They worked together for a long time. And you were on one of their projects, too, so that's how you found out?''

Perceptor nodded. ''He told me about it only then and they had already decided to bond by then.''

''So you know a bit about Starscream?'' First Aid asked, a bit hopefully if bashfully.

''You too, huh?'' Wheeljack chuckled.

''Huh?'' Was her oh so intelligent answer.

''First Skyfire, then Ultra Magnus in his youth, then Blurr, now Prowl is giving in and Optimus, well ... he wasn't fooling anybot and now possibly you and Hot Rod... It would seem that all peace born Autobots like Decepticons...'' Ratchet hit his servo in realization. ''That's it! Frag it, we were so stupid!''

''You lost us, Ratch.'' Wheeljack admitted as he scratched the back of his helm.

''On Earth, the humans have this thing called ... Internet, and we surfed, meaning researched its contents, while we were there. I found on many sites the phrase 'MAKE LOVE NOT WAR'. Maybe that's our way of ending this Primus damned war!''

''Interface?'' Perceptor was actually incredulous!

''Think about it! What do the Cons like more than waging war?''

Wheeljack was all too eager to answer that as he finally got it. ''A good, hard fra-''

''Up pa pap! I have left this room to escape these talks and only returned when they told me to call you. We have a briefing and you are to come there. You can talk about your perversions later.'' She turned to leave, but remembered the other reason she had went to get the older bots. ''Um, Perceptor? Does the name Ramjet mean anything to you?''

Perceptor nodded, looking sad even if his expression never actually changed. ''It was the designation Skyfire had raved about giving to his first sparkling, but the sparklet was never born no receive it.''

''Oh.'' Not knowing what else to say, First Aid left, hurrying back to Starscream, who had lost so much. She wanted to be his support, even if only just as a friend.

The three mechs shook their helms at the retreating form of the young femme.

''She's got it bad.'' Ratchet commented and the other two nodded as they got up to follow her.

00000

''Wow, Prowl! You could kill with that glare in your visor!'' Was the first thing Ratchet heard when he entered the bridge and saw Bumblebee and Sari standing with the two young cyber ninjas.

And indeed, Prowl looked mighty pissed. His dermas were set in a deep scowl and his visor was so narrowed Ratchet wondered just how much longer it was going to say intact from the pressure of Prowl's frown. The cyber ninja was stiff as a board, his servos crossed over his chassis, legs in an easy stance that would allow him to spring on any enemy if the need arose. His backstruts were straight and his shoulders drawn back in a peculiarly aggressive manner.

Ratchet wondered if he was going to punch someone withing the next few breems.

Jazz looked sad if a bit ticked off as well, but Prowl was radiating danger at the moment while his white friend was actually trying to calm his down a bit.

''Kid, are you suicidal?'' Ratchet snapped as he walked over to his team, leaving Wheeljack and Perceptor to their own devices. There were still a few others who had yet to come in, so they had the time to chat a bit, maybe see what had Prowl so enraged... The only others in the room were Strika, Lugnut, Ironhide (who was decidedly not looking at the two Cons) and Alpha Trion, who was chastising the two towering Decepticons for their carelessness.

Ratchet had to smirk at that. That old mech was definitely something. 'Kid must have gotten it from him, then.'

''Don't you see he's agitated by something. I'm half expecting him to kill right now, and not with his glare.''

Said glare turned to the medic. ''I am perfectly capable of controlling my anger.''

''I don't doubt that. However, did't you learn by now that you might feel better if you share your concerns or problems with friends rather than stewing alone?''

Prowl looked away, his glare becoming a frown of semi-sadness. Of course he had learned that, Optimus had drilled it into all of their processors and had always been more than willing to be the one to listen and never share their concerns if that was their wish. The others had confided in each other often, but Prowl and Ratchet had mostly stuck with Optimus when they felt like getting something off of their chassis. The Prime was a good listener and more often than not had good and wise advice, as if he was the eldest in their group, always understanding and compassionate. It drew others to him to confine in him, because he radiates kindness and reassurance and was, admittedly, wise beyond his years.

He was a good leader and they had loved their boss-bot and missed him, now more than ever before.

Jazz was the one who began their explanation when he saw Prowl sag a little.

''We just got a ping from Lockdown that we have this meeting, so we were walkin' from our makeshift trainin' room towards here, when we heard Sentinel and that Blackarachnia arguing 'bout somethin' in the halls. We were just going to pass them by, but-''

''It was about why Optimus was expelled from the Academy.'' Prowl finished with a faint growl.

''What's so bad about that?'' Sari asked as she floated by their heads.

''Sentinel was more than happy to blame OP for everything, even though he was the one that had insisted they go to Archa Seven to find some fallen Decepticon ship because of energon there or something. Anyway, Blackarachnia was accusing Sentinel for blaming Optimus, even though he had always been there for him, when Sentinel opened his big mouth and said that OP left Elita One because he was 'such a good friend'. He accused Optimus of feeling threatened by the two of them and that he would have probably killed them both, but he supposedly had a crush on Sentinel and that was the only reason he had survived, while OP left Elita One to die.'' Jazz narrated, just so Prowl wouldn't go into another raging fit like he had against Sentinel in the hall. ''He said quite a few things I would very much appreciate if you didn't make me repeat.''

''Blackarachnia answered that Optimus was her Amica Endura and would never do something like that and that they had cleared the air, mostly, between them back on Earth when he had continuously tried to help her-''

Ratchet cut Prowl off when he realized something very wrong. ''Whoa, whoa, whoa! What do you mean 'was'?! Amica Endura is a very strong bond between the closest of friends! It is said that the bond can survive entering the Well of Allsparks and, if they get another life, the friends will find each other and recognize each other, maybe not remember, but definitely recognize that they were meant to be friends. How can such a strong bond be a 'was'?''

''It must be because of her transformation into a techno-organic.'' Sari answered. ''When she had kidnapped me and Optimus had caught up to us, she explained what happened and Optimus said that they had only left her because they could no longer detect her energy signature. I am guessing that her organic part had messed with her spark a bit and she can no longer be detected on scanners.''

''It would explain how she became our best infiltrator, but I could have told you that.'' They all flinched at the deep, rumbling voice behind them. ''She came to us, almost broken but angry and we taught her how to use that anger to survive. Seeing as rarely any organic would dare come to Cybertron or anywhere where Autobots rule, she became the best asset for placing bombs. She is only second to Shockwave in the amount of successful infiltrations.'' They all turned to see Megatron standing there, big servos crossed over his chassis, his deep red optics focused on their little group. ''What else was said?''

''Huh?'' Was the oh so intelligent answer from the youngsters and Ratchet facepalmed. Here was the Decepticon leader, giving them his full attention and they were acting like idiots. Really, if the Cons had started taking them seriously, it was going to end only because of this conversation!

''In their argument, what else was said?''

''I interfered.'' Prowl answered, seeming unfazed although poised for a possible assault. ''I got into a fight with Sentinel and almost punched him, but Blackarachnia beat me to it.''

Megatron frowned. ''I am asking for details, not a narrow summary of what had almost happened and what had happened.''

''Not much, really.'' This time it was Ratchet who mostly jumped out of his plating when the black, gold and purple spider dropped from the ceiling.

''Primus! Don't _do_ that! Do you _want_ to give me a spark-attack!''

''I reminded Sentinel not only that Optimus was more noble and morally oriented in order to do something like that,'' She continued as if Ratchet had not said anything. ''And that Optimus's taste was more refined than for him to have a crush on Sentinel of all bots and actually reminded him of his taste.''

The team from Earth looked at Prowl and Jazz, who were staring at Megatron with strange looks hidden by their visors.

''The fool commented that when a bot is picky about for whom he'll open his panel, in the end it only means free for all. I punched him and now here we are.''

There was a horrified silence before Megatron powered up his cannon and took out one of his twin gray swords.

''I am going to offline him.''

''Get in line.'' They heard behind them as Alpha Trion stopped in front of the tyrant.

The glare in those optics actually made Megatron step aside to let him walk towards where Blackarachnia all too gleefully pointed out Sentinel to be. She giggled as they soon heard running and yelling of Sentinel Prime's voice as Alpha Trion chased him down.

''Man! If he wasn't such a douche-bag, I would feel sorry for him.'' Sari commented as they finally heard Alpha Trion starting to put some dents into the arrogant blue bot. The others could only nod as they soon started flinching at the screeching they heard.

''Remind me to never piss him off.'' Megatron was the only one brave enough to speak.

None answered him, fearing that the Archivist would turn on them next.

00000

''Okay, group, we're going to land on Aquatica Fermia in a joor or so, so get ready. It's a mostly aquatic planet with only platforms as surface space. We'll have to go down under at about 200 feet, so anyone who would have problems at that pressure, you better say it now because you'll be staying with Alpha Supreme.'' Optimus said from his captain's chair in the bridge, everyone at one of the stations, Roller showing Artemis the ropes and Slipstream standing beside him as she observed the planet.

Blurr immediately raised a servo.

''I was built for speed and thus have very little mass and even less armor. The pressure would probably crush me and all my internal systems in about 5.6 kliks at the most and I would rather not experience that again.''

Optimus nodded. ''Anyone else?''

''I'm good.'' Artemis spoke and the twins just nodded with smiles.

''Slipstream?'' Optimus doubted it, but it never hurt to ask.

''Hm?'' She was so distracted with something in her CPU that she had been staring into space and hadn't even registered the question until her name was called. ''Uh, no. No problem with water.''

The Prime nodded but kept a worried optic on her for a few more seconds before turning back to the rest of the crew.

''Alright, so it's Roller, Blurr and Jetstorm with Alpha and Slipstream, Jetfire and Artemis with me. We won't be staying long, it's bad for all our plating-''

''Hey! Why I stay!?'' The blue twin asked, not liking the idea of his brother going anywhere without him.

''Because you're still injured.'' Artemis answered before Optimus could even open his intake to speak.

''Precisely. Your health is more important than sight seeing, Jetstorm. I know you would like to see the underwater city, but the pressure will be bad for your wound. But how about this?'' He added when the jet deflated. ''Alpha will take a tour around the city so you can see everything, even if it is only behind glass windows. How's that?''

Both he and Blurr perked up at that and he smiled.

''How do you feel about that, Alpha?''

''It will be my pleasure.'' There was childish glee in his voice and the captain chuckled, seeing as even the shipformer was excited about a bit of sightseeing. The rest of the briefing was finished before they were 20 breems away from the surface of water. The platforms were too small for a ship as big as an Omega Sentinel and they didn't have enough supplies for a crew as big as his, so they had no choice.

''Um, captain?'' Optimus almost jumped at the hesitant call coming from Slipstream of all bots.

''Yes, Slipstream?'' He smiled at her to try and ease the anxiety clearly showing on her faceplates.

''Can we talk about something?'' She shifted from pede to pede. ''In private?''

A frown came upon the young Prime's face. Was there something wrong?

''Please?'' She was almost pleading now and Optimus nodded, getting up.

''Artemis, you're in charge while I'm gone.''

The Quintesson nodded. ''Yes, my Lord Optimus.''

''I thought I told you Optimus is just fine!'' He whined, earning himself a few snickers from his crew, but Slipstream barely even smiled. She must really be anxious if she wasn't snickering at his difficulty with the stubborn Quintesson.

''Yes, you have, but I will still call you my Lord Optimus.'' He said with clear amusement in his voice.

Deciding that he will deal with the mischievous Quintesson later, he motioned for Slipstream to follow him into his office, right next to his room. He got in, sat behind his desk and leaned back, pointing to the chair opposite him for the femme seeker. She sat after a moment's hesitation and fidgeted with her digits for a while before Optimus decided to see what was wrong.

''So, what did you want to talk about?''

As if in answer, Slipstream opened her cockpit and a bright light filled the room as something floated out, heading eagerly towards the young, stunned Prime.

''Remember how I never answered that one question?'' Slipstream timidly said, watching the fragment floating in front of her trine leader. ''Yeah, well, this is the answer. It was starting to protest or something, it was warm whenever you were close so I decided it was time I told you...''

But Optimus was barely paying attention as the small fragment of the Allspark snuggly placed itself in his palm and happily settled there, it's glow becoming more peaceful and gentle.

00000

''And now that we can finally start this meeting,'' Here Ultra Magnus glared at Alpha Trion and Sentinel Prime. ''I suggest that we do not investigate the second ruins.''

''What!? Why?!'' Bumblebee screeched immediately. ''It might lead us to boss-bot!''

''Because we got Intel that Alpha Supreme and the crew on board had gotten into a fight on Kukuzor and they had made a hasty retreat, warping out all the way to Aquatica Fermia, where they had just landed for fuel.'' Shockwave explained as Cliffjumper put up the picture of the Axalon diving into the water gracefully. ''I suggest we depart immediately, because they won't be staying there for long.''

''Why did they fight on Kukuzor?'' Strika asked, thinking about the warmongering planet.

''Does it matter?'' Starscream snapped.

''Because the seeker with them was recognized as a Decepticon and had refused a challenge issued for honor. It is one of the greatest insults one can deal on Kukuzor and they had felt justified to attack. I don't recommend us going there, seeing as the best protection we have are the Decepticons and they'd be immediate targets there.'' Cliffjumper answered, securing Starscream's silence for the rest of the meeting at the possibility of what might be Slipstream getting hurt.

''Why did they retreat so hastily?'' Cyclonus asked, not understanding when they could defeat an entire fleet by themselves.

''One of the Jettwins was hurt, protecting the seeker.''

''Slag!'' Jazz cursed.

Ratchet just shook his head sadly, wondering if Optimus was really on that ship and how he was taking these new developments if he was. ''I sure hope they have a decent medic on board. I would hate to see anything happen to those kids.''

''Anything else?'' Alpha Trion questioned.

''I suggest we hurry. From what I know, that's a water-covered planet and the only place to trade for ships the size of an Omega Sentinel would be underwater, so they won't be sticking around there for very long.'' Megatron put in his opinion while staring at the shot Shockwave and Cliffjumper had managed to get of the seeker, the orange twin and another unknown gray mech watching like hawks as another small flier bought something at one of the stands. He cold either be from Caminus, or, what he really hoped, he could be Optimus Prime with his unique jetpack. The picture wasn't the sharpest since it wasn't taken by any professional camera, and the water was messing with the true colors of the bots on the picture, but something in Megatron told him it just might be his little Prime.

That, and Alpha Trion was fixated on that little flier as much as he was.

''I agree.'' Ultra Magnus nodded and turned to Ratchet. ''Please get Omega Supreme to trans-warp us there.''

''You heard him, old friend. Let's get our Prime back.''


	22. Chapter 22

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth,a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: Hello, everyone! Another chapter for this story! I hope you'll like it! Anyway, this note is here because some of the characters will be a bit, or maybe even a lot, OOC, but please keep in mind that they're kind of sort of kids or teenagers. Some of them, anyway, for others... They might just be crazy, I don't know.** **{{¯\\_(ツ)_/¯}}**

 **Anyway, this chapter will be a lot lighter, since the last two were very dramatic and serious with all those explanations and the reveal of the past of some of the characters... The whole reaction and conversation between Optimus and Slipstream will come later...**

 **Warnings of Slipstream's potty mouth, craziness, OOC-ness that I already mentioned, mentions of sexual activities and private bits and pieces of Cybertronian anatomy, a form of randomness... some explanations on Cybertronian anatomy and Optimus and Elita's relationship, Decepticons being Decepticon-ish and Sentinel being Sentinel with traces of a good guy! and on so one and so forth.**

 **Onto the chapter!**

''I take it you enjoyed your tour, Jetstorm, Blurr, Roller?''

The three mentioned turned from the windows and rushed over to their captain. Jetstorm even jumped on his captain's back and nuzzled his head into the back of Optimus's neck cables. Roller beeped and stood right next to Optimus's legstruts, as close as cuddling as he'd come with others around. Blurr was a bit more restrained and just stood next to his captain.

''Welcome back, captain.'' The speedster greeted, wondering if he should salute.

The Prime chuckled. ''Thanks. What's with this? It's as if you hadn't seen me for orns and not a few joors. We weren't that long, were we? Or was the tour not fun enough?''

Blurr, whose face was the only one the young commander could see, flushed.

''It's not that... It's just a little lonely with only us here... And we saw you through the window and you seemed to be having fun...''

''Yeah, not fair!'' Jetstorm agreed and before the young red and blue Prime could say anything, Jetfire jumped on his back as well, nuzzling the other side of his neck.

''Not fair, because you lot not there.''

''He's right. We're a team now and no matter who's not with us at the time, we'll feel lonely without them. It wasn't the same without you guys.'' Optimus answered after he regained both his breath and his balance.

''Yeah, Jetfire was complaining too much.'' Slipstream added as she and Artemis came in from the cargo bay.

''It wasn't any better here, either. Jestorm was just as bad.'' Blurr chuckled, earning them all both of the twins's pouts. The Agent, however, soon sobered up. ''Although, we did worry.''

''Huh? Why?'' Slipstream questioned as she took up her place near the captain's chair. She was the second in command of the trine but also the third in command of the crew, Artemis taking the place of SIC. It was for the best, since he was the oldest and probably a lot calmer and clear-headed than the femme seeker. Besides, Artemis had made it quite clear that he won't be taking orders from anyone other than Optimus and that he has made it his personal task to ensure the Prime's safety. The femme, although ambitious but nowhere near as her creator, didn't have anything against it. After all, the Quintesson was trained by a true Prime and she, too, wanted to make sure Optimus was kept safe.

''We saw some Sharkticons and feared that they might attack you if they saw you in the city.''

''I thought the Sharkticons were all offlined during the war?'' Optimus looked confused as he finally got the twins to let go of him as Roller went to get them all some oil.

''So we thought, but it would seem not.'' The racer said.

''Actually, according to Starscream's memories, they were hidden away if there ever comes a time when the Decepticons's might need their particular skills.'' Slipstream interrupted further musings on the subject with an explanation. She still tried to awoid looking her leader directly in the optics, ashamed of keeping the fragment a secret from him for so long. Although Optimus had understood and forgave her, she could not excuse it and had a bit trouble forgiving herself. After all, Optimus took her in when no one else would even look at her and she repaid him by keeping such an important secret? What kind of friend was she?! And how could he still trust her with the positions he had given her?!

It was one more reason she wanted Artemis as the SIC. She honestly thought she didn't deserve it.

"But why send them here? It's too far away from Cybertron to be of any real help in the war effort, not to mention that the Autobots would never even want to fight for this planet, it's people are fully organic. It doesn't make any sense!"

Artemis thought about it. "Maybe they placed them here during the war against my people and they stayed here for all those centuries?"

"I don't actually know. Only Megatron and Strika actually had access to that information."

Slipstream noticed something strange in her leader's reaction to this bit of news. He had looked away, pretending to be watching the underwater building across from them, and Slipstream noticed only with the help of her emergency medical scans that the young Prime's temperature is growing.

And was that a blush staining his blue cheekplates a pinkish color?!

What the frag?

''Anything Starscream could have overheard about M-Megatron's plans?''

The femme narrowed her optics, actually looking directly at Optimus for a change, unlike the last few joors. ''Well, he overheard quite a bit but- HOLY PRIMUS!'' Her optics rounded in startled realization and her scream made everyone else jump out of their plating.

''Is something the matter, Slipstream?'' It was, surprisingly enough, Alpha who asked.

''Yeah, I would actually like to know, too.'' Artemis agreed, seeing that the shock was directed at Optimus.

Slipstream just squealed and rushed to Optimus, taking his blue servos into her own clawed ones and actually looked ready to start bouncing. ''By the Allspark! You have a crush on Megatron!'' Her teammates all flinched at the frequency her voice reached but Optimus then turned deathly pale when he finally comprehended what she had just said. ''Or, Strika, but let's face it. You're not a Decepticon, she's attractive only to warframes, and Megatron is fragging hot.''

Optimus's face was almost as red as his primary color. ''Slipstream!''

''Oh, that's so cute! I should have gotten it back when you rushed to his rescue, when we were all fighting over that space bridge. You wanted him stopped but not offline! And you had a good opportunity to finish him off after the death of your friend. I know I would have done it had it been one of my brothers.'' Her wings were wiggling in her excitement as she rambled, talking more than she ever had since she told them how she got to Helens. ''So, what do you like about him? The optics? The strength? His voice? Aft? Or his spi-''

''SLIPSTREAM!?'' The Prime squeaked, beyond mortifiedly embarrassed. His faceplates were under the threat of melting from how hot they were and the red and blue bot was sure that they were a whole new shade of red that no one had ever seen before. This is one conversation he had not had since he had accidentally spilled his tanks to Elita, back in the Academy, when he had been overcharged from high grade. She had asked all the same questions with even more glee than Slipstream was doing now and Optimus shuddered when he thought of how much he had pleaded with her not to tell Sentinel. He had owed her for megacycles.

''Oh, come on! I won't judge!''

Optimus took his servos back and backed away. Another thing he recognized from being friends, no Amica Endura, with Elita was that glint in the femme's optics as she said that. Oh no, Primus, no! Like Pit was he going to talk about this with _another_ helpless romantic of a femme! And most definitely not in front of his crew!

''No, Slipstream. Just... No.'' He shook his helm for emphasis.

But just like with Elita, the seeker was not going to let that deter her. Just as she was about to open her intake and continue as if he had not spoken at all, another voice beat her to it.

''You're in love with Megatron?!'' Blurr looked incredulous. ''And I thought I had it bad!''

''Not in love! It's an Academy crush... It just... won't go away...'' The Prime groaned, that one part of his processor that had been trying to convince him that he was being foolish for not admitting that it was more acting up again, raging at him for being so smart but an idiot at the same time. No matter what they taught them in the Academy nor what he had seen for himself when he had met the tyrant, even being used as a living shield by the Decepticon Lord, can stop his spark from foolishly fluttering every time Megatron's designation was mentioned... Or he heard that deep, rumbling voice of his that just sent shivers down his back struts and made his stabilizers turn to energon jelly... Or the way those red optics focusing on him made his frame heat up and his panel-

Optimus buried his face in his hands, mortified that the Decepticon Lord still had that sort of affect on him. Sure, he could understand it back in the Academy. Half of Cybertron's youth thought the Decepticons rather handsome and desirable, but he was no longer a mere youngling that just realized that there was something between his stabilizing servos that made him feel immense pleasure! This was his enemy! A monster, some call him! He started the war that still raged on between his race and the Decepticons!

That, however didn't make him any less handsome.

''I'm just surprised, is all. After all, I am not one to talk. Despite learning that Longarm Prime is actually the Decepticon spy Shockwave, I am still very much in love with him.'' Blurr zoomed over to Optimus, laying a servo on the distraught Prime's upper arm. ''I tried to deny it, to convince myself that I hate him, that I should and have all the right to hate him, but the spark wants what it wants, you know. And it wants him.'' He tightened his grip. ''I was once told that I am to be family aboard this ship and that my happiness is all that matters in the end... Why would it not be the same for you if it is like that for me? Don't you know that you can't pick whom you'll fall in love with?''

Optimus chuckled bitterly. ''Oh, I know... But you're all acting as if I'd ever actually get a chance with him! As if I'll ever even get the chance to try... He can't even remember my name...''

''You do know that Decepticons like Autobots who can defeat them in battle, right? I'm betting Megatron is now dreaming of all the ways he can bend you over somewhere or pin you down and frag-''

''SLIPSTREAM!'' They all yelled this time, Jetfire and Jetstorm covering each other's audios in a rather comical way to stop the other from hearing what the Decepticon femme was saying.

''Primus, so it is true that the Cons are way to casual with interfacing!'' Optims breathed out, still blushing. Blurr was blushing with him now, apparently remembering just how casual with interface Shockwave had been with him as Longarm Prime. There was actually steam coming off of the speedster.

''We're not casual about it! We just like to do it more freely.''

''Funny, that's what Longarm Prime, erm, Shockwave told me once regarding Decepticon interfacing habits.'' Blurr stuttered with a big blush.

The seeker narrowed her optics at them all. ''You're all prudes, aren't you. I bet none of you could even say fragging instead of interfacing!''

''SLIPSTREAM! Okay, that's it! Roller, get the Jettwins out of here! This is not for their audials!''

''Aww!'' Was all they heard while the Minicon was pushing the two flying Autobots our of the bridge.

''Oh, come on! They need to learn this some day! Better they do from us than from some horny, interested Decepticon that want's to show them a good time with his spike in their valves-''

''SLIPSTREAM! FOR PRIMES'S SAKE, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?''

''Uhm, I actually have a question.'' Blurr raised a servo to gain the bickering captain's and TIC's attention. A pair of blue, green and red optics all focused on the Intelligence Agent, Artemis looking both amused and ticked that they were having this conversation this way, Optimus looking both curious and like he was dreading what was to come next and Slipstream looked gleeful to answer questions of these innocent, naive little Autobots.

''Do all Decepticons really have only spike while Autobots have only valves?''

Though, with Shockwave as his previous lover, perhaps Blurr wasn't oh so innocent, after all.

Optimus gapped at his teammate while their resident Quintesson got into an equivalent of a Cybertronian coughing fit to cover both his surprise and his amusement. Slipstream looked like Sari did on Christmas Eve.

''See! He has no problem saying it! Come on, Optimus. Your turn. Say 'spike'.'' The seeker looked gleeful as she stared at her leader.

''No, Slipstream.''

She visibly deflated before remembering something she could now use against her teammate. ''You'll need to say it one day! Megatron might like it.'' She wiggled her optic ridges at him, which earned her an embarrassed glare in return, which made her crack up like a mad mech, er femme.

''Just answer his question, Slipstream.''

That effectively drew her attention from further embarrassing her leader and she turned to Blurr, who had been enjoying the interaction of his superiors a bit too much. ''Right! Well, it is mostly true, and by that I mean that any sparked Decepticon only has a spike while sparked Autobots have only valves. However-wait, do you even know that our race can reproduce without the use of the Allspark?''

''WHAT?!'' Blurr screeched, hearing this for the first time.

Optimus just nodded. ''The last reported born Autobot was a flier, Skyfire, while the most popular born Decepticon is Shockwave'.''

Slipstream flinched at the mention of the flier but nodded, though she did send Optimus a databurst that they will need to talk later, since he had seen her reaction. ''Yes, well, since Blurr over there doesn't seem to know, I'll explain that first.''

''I'll explain, if you don't mind.'' Artemis stopped her.

Slipstream just pouted but nodded anyway.

''Autobots and Decepticons were once one people, thus are very compatible. There were no factions nor were there function casts, once upon a time. They were simply civilianframes and warframes, mechs and femmes, grounders and fliers. They were all Cybertronian, something that has apparently not existed for decavorns. As one people, both civilians and warframes had their role in their combined society. The civilians were medics, builders, teachers, scientists, librarians, nurses, politicians, and that made them a bit more timid and, as most would observe it, submissive to their stronger brethren, who were put on this world as warriors, soldiers, protectors, generals, lieutenants, fighters, defenders and conquerers. But that did not mean that their counterparts couldn't have the same roles. Civilians had to train to be able to fight beside the warframes, but it was very much achievable. Warframes had to study if they wanted to match their smaller brothers in medicine and science and other such academical disciplines, but they were almost as skilled politicians as the civilianframes were. Still are, if what I have been hearing is true.''

''It is.'' Slipstream proudly interrupted, but shied away from Artemis's glare.

''As I was saying, they could both be taught the others's ways, even if it took time, and everyone was happy and they were safe and functional as a society, together. They were unbeatable when they were united. At those times, before my people decided to be little spike-sheets and before your old Senate decided to make the caste system that took rights away from many a Cybertronians, there were many, as you might call it now, mixed couples.''

''Of course, there were Cons with Cons and Bots with Bots, femmes with femmes and mechs with mechs, from either faction. Fliers and grounders bonding and making tripplechangers, or other multychangers, since Starscream's memory banks have records of a mech that could transform into six different vehicles.'' The seeker femme butted in, but the Quintesson didn't reprimand her this time as it was actually a helpful comment.

''At that time, the Allspark was only used by couples from same frame built, because not even Decepticon femmes have valves. Only groundframes do. Fliers have spikes as they are the dominant frame, meant to protect so their programing in their spark immediately builds their frames to have spikes, or rather the medical term is connector, so they can spark up civilian frames, who are naturally nurturing, so that they have something important to them to protect, to live and die for. Thus, Autobots today are what would have been natural Carriers back then, while the Decepticons would have been called Sires or Generators. It varies from city-state to city-state.''

''However, when the Quintessons came, they forbade the reproduction of Cybertronians and all mechs and femmes were used for labor, if they were captured, or became warriors and thus couldn't carry the full term.''

''Which is nine lunar cycles.''

Slipstream continued as if the information hadn't been thrown in. ''And so they started visiting the Allspark in secret and less and less mechs and femmes were sparklings, they just onlined for war and were thus adults, since their frames, the artificial protoforms that were built ahead, were already filled with all the information a regular sparkling would need vorns to learn before it was considered old enough to get its final upgrade. And after the war, the functionists came to power and they forbade interfacing with the purpose of getting a sparkling. It's when the mixed couples started dwindling into nonexistence and the first divides were made between my people and yours.''

''I am guessing that they used to Allspark to monitor the frame type the new sparklings will get and made sure that they were placed in lower casts if they were bigger and had more strength. It also prevented them, who are physically stronger, to gain in power and overthrow them one day.''

''The warbuilds were considered as violet and dangerous, unable to accommodate to civilian way of life during peacetime.''

''But isn't that the truth? I meant, they _did_ start the war, right?'' Blurr asked, his processor working overtime to expel all the propaganda they showed down his throat tubbing his whole life so he can properly digest this new, more accurate information.

''They started the war because there were threats of slave coding, flight locks, the Gladiatorial Pits in Kaon or the smelter, not because they are violate, although they are. But you have to understand by now, Blurr, that they were _made_ for war.'' The Prime then shook his helm. ''No, it would seem they were made for _protecting_ , something I had never thought about. I mean, seekers were once in charge of guarding the youth sectors, right? The sectors where younglings are taken to so they can develop before they learn their special ability?''

Slipstream nodded. ''Seekers would fly all the way from Vos, every cycle, and fly over the sectors and make sure no one was causing trouble. They helped the enforcers if need be, but they mostly worked alone and there was rarely any trouble in the youth sectors.''

''But then Vos was blasted out of the sky and one of the crazed seekers bombed the youth sector in Tyger Pax as retaliation, right?''

The seeker nodded once again. ''Damn, you're good at this, you know that? Anyway, yes. I don't remember his designation, he's just known as the Crazy One. And after the war started, we were pushed back and the last born Autobot was killed, we were exiled into the atmosphere and they created the Omega Sentinels to destroy us all, but the war stopped before they wiped us all out, but we could never set pede on Cybertron as long as the Autobots ruled it so it was forgotten with the new generations, that once upon a time we depended on each other to survive.''

A moment of silence.

''So, we really only have valves while the Cons have connectors?''

Slipstream grinned evilly at her trine leader. ''I thought we were over this, Optimus Prime. Come on, say 'spike'~!''

Before Optimus could even properly glare at her, the proximity sensors alerted them to an attacking ship just seconds before a huge blow directly to Alpha's hide shook the entire ship.

00000

Sentinel had just been minding his own business when he heard a commotion in the rec room in the Steelhaven part of the combined ships as they had just trans-warped into Aquatica Fermia's atmosphere. Deciding to prove himself to Ultra Magnus (who had managed to talk Megatron into yet another war-sim game, somehow) that he had just as fine leadership abilities as Optimus did, the blue big-chinned Prime walked in the direction of the now yelling insult exchange.

When he entered the room, he was surprised to see it was Elit-no, that was not his Elita. He was surprised to see Blackarachnia and Ironhide almost ready to rip each other apart, and not just verbally like Alpha Trion liked to do in the Council Chambers. The black and purple femme was hissing, her spider-like appendages at her shoulderstruts poised at the ready to strike should the orange and silver mech tick her off enough, while said mech had one of his servos turned to Cybertron's strongest iron which had earned him his name, ready to hit her at any moment. Both red and blue optics were flashing dangerously, indicating that they had already fought like this for a period of time and things were finally hitting a climax and if no one stopped them, heads will roll and energon will be shed.

There were a few others in the room, mainly just Starscreams two more brightly colored clones and Blitzwing of the Decepticons and Brawn, Bumblebee and Sari on the Autobot side, all watching with shocked optics and slacked jaws as the two fighting bots glared and spat at each other.

''You know nothing!'' The femme hissed at something Ironhide had said.

''Oh yeah!? I don't need to know any more than that, not only have you betrayed the Autobots and all we stand for, but you have joined the Decepticons and used innocent Autobots for experiment subjects! Wasp didn't deserve what you did to him, you pit-spawned bitch!''

Blackarachnia recoiled before growling in anger. ''How dare you!?''

''I dare because you are nothing more than a little Decepticon slut!'' Ironehide spat in her faceplates and silence fell over the room for moment as the femme started shaking slightly. Recognizing the old signs of her upset state whenever something bad happened, Sentinel rushed into the room and stood right in front of Blackarachnia, shocking everyone out of their CPUs. He let his processor forget all about it usually being Optimus, as her Amica Endura, that then came behind him and gathered Elita One in his arms while Snetinel berated whoever had upset their friend, or switching places when it was someone who was higher up in rank than Sentinel could handle. He felt the absence, but didn't let himself dwell on why it felt so empty without their third friend as he stood in front of what had once been his intended Conjunx Endura, ready to repeat history from their Academy days.

''Stand down, soldier, before I make you stand down myself!'' He snapped, jerking the orange mech back into his angered state while everyone just stared, not believing that the selfish, arrogant, pompous Sentinel was looking out for someone other than himself and his reputation.

''She killed my friend! He was already wronged enough and she killed him!''

Sentinel thought very hard in microseconds as he tried to remember Optimus's new scowl and did his best to imitate it. It must have partially worked because Ironhide blenched a little and took a pedestep back. Good. ''Wasp died in an unfortunate accident that happened during an explosion on Earth.''

''An explosion he would have never been near of had it not been for that glitch!'' He pointed his servo at the femme he had been fighting with, who had stayed quiet up to this point, and made a move to sidestep Sentinel and hit her with his iron fists, only to yelp in pain when Sentinel grabbed it and twisted it as best as he could while keeping the angry mech away from Blackarachnia.

''Back down, Ironhide, before I really have you court martialed for disobedience and attempting to strike a superior officer, because despite never finishing the Academy, she would have been Major at the very least, if not another Prime. So you better stand down, security officer Ironhide.''

There was a brief stare-down between two pairs of Autobot blue optics before the slightly shorter mech nodded and took a step back when the Prime let go of his servo. ''I apologize. I was out of line.'' With that, he backed away fully, saluted briefly and then walked out of the room, leaving everyone in silence.

''Hmph. They don't have action for half and hour and they are already forgetting how to respect their superiors! A disgrace.'' Sentinel grumbled as he crossed his servos over his chestplates, scowling at the door through which the orange bot had left. He then noticed everyone else looking at him with wide optics and he snapped at them all. ''What are you all looking at!? Scram!'' The Decepticons snorted, but the Autobots bolted out of the room, leaving Sari alone to float in her place still. She just smiled awkwardly before waving at them and turning to the vid-screen, where she proceeded to watch her cartoons as she had been doing when the two had started their fight.

Sentinel scoffed a second time and turned to leave, only to stop at a servo on his shoulderguard.

''Thank you, Sentinel.''

The voice was soft, the accent the one he had once loved so much and the words ones he had thought he would never hear coming from these vocals ever again. He hesitated for a second before continuing on his way, reminding himself that it was not his beloved Elita, but a Decepticon, despite him just giving her rank in the eyes of the Autobots. Still...

''Yeah, whatever.''

He still couldn't help but be a bit of that assholish Sentinel she had fallen for when trying to straighten him up from his arrogance.

Blackarachnia smiled as she watched him leave, but then it turned into a victorious smirk. Only Sari saw the change, so she decided to follow her fellow techno-organic as she left the room through the same doors Ironhide had. After a few moments of walking, Blackarachnia looked around and after making sure no one was around (Sari had hidden herself into a dark corner by the ceiling) she called out to someone Sari had almost gasped at.

''You can come out now, Ironhide.''

Said mech came out with a big smile on his faceplate. ''Was it good enough?''

The femme chuckled and clapped her servos, causing Ironhide to do an over-dramatic bow. ''You were absolutely wonderful! It all went according to plan and you can never imagine how grateful I am for what you have done for me.'' She clasped her delicate yet deadly servos on his shoulders and looked him in the optics. ''Thank you, Ironhide. For letting me get the first step of reconciling mine and Sentinel's relationship.''

He waved her off, still smiling softly. ''It's nothing really. I don't know what you see in him, but they do say love is blind...''

She grinned at him as well. It made her even prettier than she already looked. ''Still... I'll keep my end of the bargain and as soon as we land somewhere with a suitable gift shop, I'll help you find a perfect first courting gift for your little crush.''

''I'll keep you to that! Chromia likes exotic things, so I hope you know what you're doing.''

''I'm a femme!'' She almost sounded offended, despite her smile.

''Yeah, yeah! See ya around, Elita!'' And with that, the orange mech was gone, leaving Sari to stare at the purple, black and gold femme in shock. Was that- Was that argument staged?!

''I see you're getting up to your old tricks, Blackarachnia.'' Sari almost yelped at the deep, rumbling voice of Megatron as said warlord appeared from one of the rooms leading into the hallway.

''You know me, lord Megatron. I always get up to mischief.'' She fluttered her four optics at her lord and made an innocent face that had Megatron rubbing his nasal ridge.

''Mind explaining to me that little... spectacle just now? I don't see what you are trying to achieve as idiots always stay idiots.''

Blackarachnia laughed heartily at that. ''Oh believe me, Lord Megatron, I know better than anyone else, besides maybe Optimus and Ultra Magnus, that Sentinel will always remain an idiot, but he wasn't always an asshole, as the humans like to say. He never had any tact nor was he able to be nice to just anyone, but he could be sweet to both me and Optimus when it was needed, less so for Optimus, but he always felt threatened by my old friend.''

''Threatened?'' The Decepticon Lord raised an optical ridge, his servos crossed over his impressive chestplates.

The femme nodded. ''Yeah, Optimus was my Amica Endura. I don't actually know if the bond survived my transformation and I never had the nerve to check, but that's not the point. We told Sentinel about it only after he had attacked Optimus when overcharged because he thought Optimus was hitting on me. I'm sure you've noticed, but Sentinel always fears that he falls short when compared to Optimus, not that I blame him. Younger than us, yet advanced before us. You know, he had the highest score in the VR simulator battle against you. He didn't beat you, but no one has ever been able to take down his name from the records books.'' The spider-former beamed with pride for her friend as she thought of that day. ''For ten decacycles, everyone would crowd around the scoreboard, thinking that if one could do it, so could others, but Optimus was never an ordinary bot. He only continued getting better, but he was never allowed back into that simulation, something about it almost becoming slag the first time he had entered because of an overload of systems because of his illogical actions during the fight...'' She shrugged. ''You'd have to ask Kup or maybe Wheeljack, as they had been monitoring that day.''

''So he was always a good fighter, then...'' It was a mumble under his breath but both techno-organics heard it none the less.

The ex-Autobot snorted. ''If Cybertron had just a few fighters like him on their side, we would probably have quite a bit of trouble on our servos in battles.''

''I noticed.'' The tone was dry but there was a bit of pride and... something else in his red optics that Sari didn't know how to decipher.

Blackarachnia grinned evilly at her lord and master. So he was just as interested as her friend was, huh?

''You know, Optimus once told me something while he was overcharged...'' That peeked the warlords interest and Sari wondered what else she was going to learn on this little eavesdropping mission she had set out for herself. ''It is regarding his type, if you get my drift?'' She nudged him with an elbow, making his optics widen and round up like dinner plates from Helens. Sari leaned a bit closer, not believing what she was hearing. ''He made me promise not to tell anyone, _especially_ Sentinel, if he agreed to kiss his crush if he were ever to meet them. From what I know, it hadn't happened yet, unless you're hiding something from your troops, Megatron?''

And with that, the femme left, feeling very satisfied with herself, as she began plotting how to get the little yellow minibot to notice Blitzwing's attention. Optimus would probably call her a wanna-be-matchmaker, but it had never stopped her before... And judging from Megatron's reaction, he was going to force her old teammate to follow through with their deal. Good. He needed to relax more.

By the time Megaton had regained his thoughts from the gutter as he thought of all the ways he could kiss the pit out of his little Prime, the femme was gone, out causing chaos and making Megatron wonder how long he had before he got a processor-ache.

As he was about to leave the hallway before the Magnus hunted him down for another round of war-sims, the warlord, never turning around or slowing his pace, spoke to the hidden techno-organic.

''If you are going to eavesdrop on Decepticons, make sure you cover your signal completely. I am a Cybertronian warframe and we have stronger sensors than Autobots, miss Sari Sumdac. And I would suggest you never talk about this. With anyone.''

He didn't wait for the answer as he disappeared further away from the terrified girl.

Just then, sirens were heard through both ships as Shockwave called everyone to the bridge, saying that Alpha Supreme had just warped away after being hit critically.


	23. Chapter 23

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth,a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 _Previously_

 _Before Optimus could even properly glare at her, the proximity sensors alerted them to an attacking ship just seconds before a huge blow directly to Alpha's hide shook the entire ship._

 _00000_

 _''If you are going to eavesdrop on Decepticons, make sure you cover your signal completely. I am a Cybertronian warframe and we have stronger sensors than Autobots, miss Sari Sumdac. And I would suggest you never talk about this. With anyone.''_

 _He didn't wait for the answer as he disappeared further away from the terrified girl._

 _Just then, sirens were heard through both ships as Shockwave called everyone to the bridge, saying that Alpha Supreme had just warped away after being hit critically._

 _Now..._

Optimus felt his energon going cold as Alpha Supreme screeched in pain, making the whole ship vibrate.

In less than the blink of a human eye, Blurr was at his counsel, looking at the screens as Optimus ran to the nearest wall and started petting his friend, trying to sooth him enough for the shipformer not to go into shock from the first hit and his first time feeling pain since he was onlined. ''You'll be alright, Alpha. I'm here.''

''It... hurts...'' Was the almost keen that broke the young Prime's spark and flared it with anger at the same time. How dare they!? Who would dare hurt his Alpha!? He'll make them pay!

''A Quintessonian fleet 30 kliks away and fast approaching, long range weapons for big ships, about 50 or so spacecrafts.'' Blurr reported as the Jettwins and Roller ran back into the bridge. ''With Alpha Supreme out of commission, we don't stand a chance, captain!''

''Who said he was out of commission?'' Optimus gritted through clenched dentas. ''Artemis, monitor their fight. Slipstream, Blurr and the Twins... You listen to him. Roller, prepare to manually activate Alpha's blaster while I fix this.''

''Yes, captain!'' They saluted briefly before vanishing off to do as told.

''Artemis, keep me updated on the battle, status of our team and the damaged are. Anything happens, I want to know. Also, remember that as soon as Roller helps Alpha to fire, you call them back in! We're leaving out of here as soon as we can!''

The Quintesson just nodded and took his post, giving instructions as the Minicon started preparing the ship for a manual firing of its most powerful blaster cannon.

''My Lord Optimus, I would suggest taking you jetpack. There are places where it might come in quite handy.''

The only acknowledgement he got was a firm nod as his leader ran off.

''Primus, watch over your child.'' The prayer was whispered as outside, null rays and fires and storms started destroying their enemies, bringing bright flashes over the peaceful aquatic planet. Jetfire and Jetstorm made quick work to protect the ship and set aflame all nearing crafts with their special abilities while Blurr and Slipstream either set up bombs or sabotaged engines and communication arrays, the speedster running and jumping from ship to ship, into ships if possible and the seeker either attacking with her weapons or with her brute strength.

Meanwhile, Optimus was either sprinting down the halls or flying over some overturned bigger pieces of furniture, making soothing noises whenever the Omega Sentinel whimpered in pain. ::I'm here, Alpha.::

''It hurts... I am scared, Optimus.''

The Prime gently dragged one blue servo as he finally got to the storage bay and took what he needed, taking two containers of the Omega Lock's energy and then taking off and not touching the ground until he made it to the damaged area. He made quick work, injecting one dose to Alpha's circuits and the other to his fuel lines and in a few seconds, the blinding light made a reappearance and when it faded, Optimus was relieved to see that his friend was in one piece and undamaged.

''There you go, buddy.''

''Thank you, Optimus Prime.'' There was true gratitude in the shipformers voice and Optimus grinned happily.

''No need, my friend. Now, get ready to warp us out of here.''

''With pleasure.''

::Artemis, tell Roller to fire and call them back.::

He got a ping of confirmation and he flew over to the cargo bay, where he waited until his team came back. He felt as Alpha and Roller fired the Supreme's weapons on their enemies and he exvented a sigh when he saw his crew come back, a little worse for wear, but still fine anyway. However, they gasped at the sight of their captain, overheated by the little fire that had started at the damage-site and sooth covered him from head to pede.

''Primus! Are you okay, Optimus!?'' Slipstream exclaimed as they crowded around him.

He just waved her off. "Nothing Artemis won't be able to fix. You?"

"We're fine. The squids didn't know what hit them. It's you I'm worried about! You look like you just went against Megatron again! Why the frag weren't you more careful!? What did even happen to you to look like this?"

Optimus was about to reply but paused as he realized that his journey to the place of injury was nothing but a blur. He shook himself and motioned for his crew to follow him up to the bridge. "Now's not the time. We're about to trans-warp any second now and when we're safe, we'll talk about all of this."

As if answering the Prime, Alpha Supreme started his emergency escape protocols and the red and blue shipformer vanished from sight.

00000

The first sight and sound that greeted them when they rushed to the other Omega Sentinel's aid was that of an ongoing battle.

Megatron cursed as their shields received the first blows, all powerful enough to tilt the combined shipformers from their course. It was glaringly obvious, even without Bulkhead's report that Alpha Supreme just left the atmosphere via trans-warping, that not only was their target gone, but that they have just taken their place in this fight.

The old warlord looked around himself and saw that almost everyone had been brought down by the quaking due to the hits. Strika was helping Alpha Trion get his pedes back under him while Cyclonus and Blitzwing were holding up Hot Rod and Bumblebee respectively. Sentinel was close by Blackarachnia, Lockdown, Jazz, Prowl and Yoketron were with Sari and the Starscream clones while said seeker was holding the white and red Autobot femme medic to his chest, having grabbed her when they lost their footing. Bulkhead was helping Lugnut get out of one of the Autobots' observations counsels he got stuck in and Brawn and Hot Shot were tangled up together with their resident inventors, all four groaning in pain. Arcee had managed, somehow, to stay on her pedes while Ratchet was clutching his helm, having hit it hard against the wall behind him when he had jerked with the rest of the ship. Cliffjumper was cursing up a storm as Shockwave held him high in the air, being also one of the rare bots to have not fallen over and having the presence of mind to catch the red minibot before he flew into the window. Ultra Magnus has been flattened to the wall but looked fine, while Megatron had only stumbled a few steps before catching himself with one of the nearby chairs.

"Is everyone alright?" The blue Magnus immediately asked and got confirming grunts and groans, even from the ever-by-the-book Sentinel. Another blow hid their shield, but no one fell this time around.

"Damage report!" Megatron roared over the increasing fire they were receiving. They might have shields, but even those will waver after too much damage was done to them or if their generator couldn't take the heat and it made Megatron grit his denta, falling back into the first war he has ever fought in.

Too bad for the Quintessons that it had been against them and even worse, for them - he had been quite successful.

"Shields are up and running, my Lord. No damage was done to either ship.'' Shockwave answered immediately.

''Status report next!'' The tyrant ordered, powering up his cannon and motioning for his Decepticons to follow him, all drawing their weapons readily.

''About 40 or less ships. Debris indicate that they have been fired upon by Omega Sentinel weaponry, only once or twice fired, both direct hits. Alpha Supreme has trans-warped away in emergency protocols, but there happened a strange flash before everyone had returned aboard the ship, if the reports I'm getting from the Aquatica Fermians are correct. Then we arrived just in time for them to continue firing at us, my Lord.''

''Alright, then. Medic,'' He turned to look at Ratchet, who had just gotten back to his pedes. ''Get Omega Supreme dispatched and fighting, preferably without transforming into root form, we don't need the Quintessons realizing what we have sent into the very heart of their territory.'' Ratchet nodded and rushed up to Alpha Supreme with Sari (who was not happy with this development, thinking she would be of more help on the battlefield) and Arcee, who went as protection with the old medic since she knew a bit of circuit-fu. ''Shockwave, you stay here and protect the Autobots, as well as helping them not hit my Decepticons out there when they fire.'' Said spy bowed and settled next to Cliffjumper and the two prepared for handling the communications as well as monitoring the battle. ''Starscream, you lead your new trine and go as deep as you can. Try attaching bombs, like in the battle for Luna-2. If anything is too risky, don't go in there alone. Do not engage the enemy head on, that will be Lugnut's and Strika's job.'' The three Decepticons nodded and bowed briefly before returning to checking all their systems. ''Lockdown, you and your little cyber ninja friends are going to guard the outside of this ship. I don't care what you do, just make sure that they don't land or place bombs. Take Bulkhead with you if you must, but he is to remain out of harm's way, since we only have him for tracking our target!''

''I'm not a Con, Megatron. You can't order me around.'' The bounty hunter huffed and crossed his servos, whole frame ready for the explosion of rage he was expecting from both the warlord and his most loyal crony, Lugnut.

''How dare you-!'' The expected rant was cute off by Prowl stepping up to his fellow cyber ninja, looking up at him with his best version of puppy dog eyes, as Sari called them and recommended for the black and gold ninja to use.

''Please, Lockdown? For me?''

Jazz was dying silently from laughter and Blackarachnia was filming everything, mostly focusing on Lockdown's dropped jaw and dazed expression of pure shock, as well as master Yoketron's facepalm he had picked up from his greatest student.

''Uh, um... Sure?''

Prowl smiled, earning himself a blush from Lockdown and Megatron's shake of his helm.

The warlord wondered if his little Prime would be able to manipulate him that easily.

''Right. Alpha Trion is to stay here and act as commander if Ultra Magnus leaves the ship to use his Hammer. We might need it to finish this as quickly as we can. How far away did they warp, Bulkhead?''

''Two planets from here, a three joor flight from here.'' Came the reply, Bulkhead not even hesitating to take orders from the Decepticon leader. It came as automatically as obeying Optimus did. The two led in similar ways, even if the Prime was more merciful.

''According to correct escape protocols.'' Perceptor commented, the Steelhaven shaking with the two ships fully separating so Omega can provide cover.

Megatron ignored the comment, returning to giving out orders. No one seemed willing to oppose him right now and he wondered if spending a little time with Decepticons wizened them up a bit. Highly unlikely, but a bot can hope, right? They were truly hopeless when this journey had begun. ''Anyone who can shoot, up to the cannon. Use magnets to stay on the ship, we don't want you floating in space while we slag the squids.'' Bumblebee and Hot Rod nodded. ''We will lead the charge, the rest of you prepare to add fuel to the ship if need be, listen to those who were assigned commanders, get the med bays ready and be on standby.'' He nodded at them all and headed towards the cargo bay, the only exit on the ship where the Decepticons can comfortably exit or enter. ''Sunstrom and Ramjet will transfer Sentinel, Irohide and Blackarachnia to Omega Supreme, where you will act as the cyber ninjas do for the Steelhaven. Nothing lands, nothing explodes within range of that ship. Is that clear.''

''Yes!'' Was his answer as they got to their destination and the bay opened.

''Decepticons, transform and rise up!''

00000

''I'm sorry, my Lord Optimus, but I can't do it.'' Artemis spoke a joor and a half after their escape from the Quintessons. Their resident Quintesson and medic had been spending all that time patching them up, but Optimus had insisted that he be last. No one was comfortable with the decision, but the Prime was as stubborn as the rest of them and had refused to be treated before his crew, who had all been out there fighting while he had only went to fix Alpha up. Besides, he was right. He was mostly fine after a trip to the washracks had cleaned off most of what had looked like damage, although his fans were a little clogged from the fire and his body heat had been a bit off the charts but he had cooled down on his own to the normal temperature without trouble or outside aids.

But it would seem that he now has a new problem.

''I've tried everything, from manual latches to medical-grade hacks to release it, but the jetpack just won't come off!'' The Quint looked troubled that he couldn't help his new lord, but it wasn't as if it was necessary. Scans showed that there was no damage, in fact... ''It's as if the jetpack fused into your protoform. Your systems show it as a regular presence, not a mod, but a part of you as much as your spark is. It shows no signs of possible problems in the future and the scans indicate that you can still feed on mid-grade for daily rations, but the jetpack can't be removed without _causing_ damage.''

''In other words, Optimus is officially no longer a true grounder?'' Slipstream asked as she tried not to twitch her left wing. A lucky shot had grazed it and although it was minor damage, she still had to have a weld applied to make sure it won't heal improperly.

Artemis rubbed his forehelm. ''I'm afraid so, my Lord Optimus.''

Said bot snorted. ''What's so bad about that? I've loved flying ever since I first experienced it with my jetpack.''

Their resident seeker grinned. ''Ah! A flier sparked in a ground-pounder frame! I never thought something like this would exist.''

''So Optimus Prime forever fly like us?'' The Jettwins asked excitedly, elated that their idol was now even more like them.

Optimus chuckled. ''It would appear so. Sorry, Blurr.''

The agent raised an optic ridge at him, making sure not to move too quickly. Artemis was one terrifying medic and Blurr had overheated his frame when he had ran by laser fire in order to get to one of the ships's communications arrays. ''Why are you apologizing to me?''

''It would seem that you and Roller are now the only grounders here.''

Blurr crossed his servos carefully, fully aware of the Quintesson's attention shifting to him to make sure he followed his instructions. It was torture, but at least he'll only need to keep slow for the rest of the next joor, when his circuits should settle down to their normal temperature. He smirked at his leader and friend. ''I might not be able to fly, but I can still travel in parallel to you all, what with my newly perfected runs in space.''

The red and blue Prime threw his head back and laughed freely, his smile infectious enough that everyone followed him shortly after with chuckles or snickers. When he calmed down, the Prime shook his helm fondly with a small smile still on his lipplates. ''Never change, Blurr, never change. Anyway, I suggest we all get some rest, but someone will have to keep an optic on the sensors.''

''I'll take care of that.'' Slipstream was the first to volunteer. ''I'll be just fine, I only need a cube of high grade or a barrel of jet fuel and I'll be awake for most of the recharge cycle. When someone is rested enough to take over, I'll gladly give over the position and recharge for a bit myself.''

''And I'll gladly keep her company, since I've not fought today and am thus rather well rested still.'' Artemis stepped up before shooing everyone off to their rooms. Optimus took one more look at them before Roller pushed at his stabilizing servos to get him to his cabin for recharge, before the Minicon went to do inventory before joining the other two on the bridge, where they stood vigil over their sleeping comrades.

00000

The battle had been too brief to even be called that.

The Autobots could only stare in mortified amazement as the Decepticons took apart the fleet with unnerving ease, explosions and laser fire lighting up the atmosphere above Aquatica Fermia like the fireworks on 4th of July. They took down one ship at a time, sometimes two, with their internal weapons, getting precise shots from Shockwave from within the Steelhaven or risky ones from Omega Supreme. The seekers moved with deadly grace, leaving explosives or using their null rays to destroy ships, Blitzwing's fire and icy attacks rendering most ships useless or immobile, Strika downright ramming into them from one side and exiting from the other. Lugnut used POKE a bit too much but it was useful in such close proximity as some spacecrafts had. Blackarachnia had at one point been picked up by Skywarp and they trans-warped in the middle of some of the bigger ships, where the spider femme then used her webs to tie them together and then, when they were so tied up, Megatron would ram into them and cut them all in half, sometime going on his own, other times having Cyclonus at his back.

Almost none of the fighting drones made it past them, but the few that did and came to the Steelhaven were either taken down by nunchucks and shurikens or were cut up by a chainsaw. Sometime Yoketron used Processor over Mater to shield them from attacks that came from the drones that had penetrated the ship's shield and at times, Prowl and Lockdown found themselves backstruts to backstruts, or it was Prowl and Jazz and Lockdown and his old sensei.

Sentinel and Ironhide weren't doing a half bad job of their own assignment either.

Ultra Magnus had to get out to use the Hammer, after all, when one of the ships sneaked up on his ship and he was so angry he fried the ship so bad there was nothing to fall into the planet's atmosphere. Hot Rod, with his energy arrows, and Bumblebee with his military grade stingers, were doing a good job at protecting the cannon from being sabotaged while Arcee had had to climb up on Omega's back in order to cut up a few squids that had sneaked up on them.

Inside the Steelhaven, Alpha Trion was expertly leading the crew, instructing them where to fly over or who to send where through communications. First Aid and the two inventors had made up a big enough emergency med bay should there be any accidents or injuries, but it looked like there would be needed only smaller patches. Wheeljack had become more than acquainted with the Decepticons after one of his bombs blew up seven ships at once and the seekers then started taking explosives from him.

When it was all over and the fighters came back aboard as the two Omega Sentinels merged once again into one ship, it mostly the Autobots that were injured. The Decepticons mostly just had scratches and a few dents, with the exception of Thundercracker and Blackarachnia, who had a smaller leak from a lucky shot, and Blitzwing, who had taken a missile to the abdominal plating but had continued fighting. Ironhide had hit his head and had a processor ache, Sentinel was battered up and Hot Rod had almost lost a limb had it not been for Megatron and Cyclonus to come back to the ships and take down the two drones that had cornered him and Bumblebee, who had been knocked out cold.

Thankfully, neither ship was damaged and they could leave as soon as the injured were treated.

The medics and inventors were swift in repairing all the damage and they had help from Alpha Trion and Cyclonus, who both had a rather wast knowledge for medicine even if it is not the more crucial operations and the Cons, as constant warriors made to continue fighting under any circumstances, all knew how to treat their dents and scratches and even helped each other and some Autobots so they could hurry up the process. They were lucky that no one needed to be put into stasis and Bumblebee woke up sometime during his repairs. Also everyone got a clean bill so they weren't losing any fighters either.

When everyone was finished, they all gathered in the bridge and watched as they trans-warped after their target.

00000

Slipstream and Artemis truly had no trouble staying awake this recharge cycle, but poor Roller had fallen into recharge about half a joor after he had returned from trying to get their captain to get some sleep. The SIC and TIC had chuckled at the Minicon, who returned with his beeps that it is a lot harder to put Optimus to berth than they might think and challenged them to do better.

Knowing how stubborn their leader was, neither the Qunitesson nor the seeker were ready to take it up and they conceded to the smaller bot, who then went to his counsel, did inventory and fell asleep while checking their supplies of the Omega Lock energy storage. His still awake companions chuckled as he made quite a cute sight.

For another twenty breems, the two talked to each other and to Alpha, explaining things to him and telling him stories, enjoying the innocence of the giant mech. Artemis even talked about the embarrassing things he had done while he was the Quintesson equivalent of a sparkling and youngling and Slipstream told them about all the times Starscream made a fool of himself, even before starting the whole trying-to-slag-Megatron thing.

It was during one of those lighthearted stories that a giant ship made of two different ships trans-warped right in front of them and before Alpha could boom out any alerts to the rest of the crew, a ping came from one of the counsels. From Blurr's, to be exact. Slipstream and Artemis exchanged looks while Roller woke up and, seeing the ships, made haste to Optimus's room.

Slipstream walked over to the counsel and saw what it was.

It was an incoming hail from the other ship.

 **A/N: HI THERE! So, it would seem that our two groups are finally going to meet up! What will their reactions be? Who will be the happiest to see whom? What will happen next? Read to find out.**


	24. Chapter 24

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth,a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 _Previously..._

 _It was during one of those lighthearted stories that a giant ship made of two different ships trans-warped right in front of them and before Alpha could boom out any alerts to the rest of the crew, a ping came from one of the counsels. From Blurr's, to be exact. Slipstream and Artemis exchanged looks while Roller woke up and, seeing the ships, made haste to Optimus's room._

 _Slipstream walked over to the counsel and saw what it was._

 _It was an incoming hail from the other ship._

 _Now..._

Everyone aboard the Steelhaven waited with bathed breath as the hail was sent the second they warped in front of the other ship. It had been the Magnus's idea, fearing that the other ship might trans-warp away again or fire upon them, so they immediately sent a hail while being in view of the other Omega Sentinel.

When the hail was answered with a ping, everyone gasped as they were met with glaring red optics of a purple and teal seeker femme as she scowled at them from the screen, stance secretly aggressive and the look in her optics very much annoyed. There was no one else seen on the screen but no one thought even for a moment that she might be alone.

''What?!'' She snapped at them, making the Autobots flinch as her voice was not exactly the most pleasant when yelling. ''Do you have any idea what time it is!? What do you want?!''

''Slipstream!'' Skywarp exclaimed happily as he and his brothers tried to get closer to the screen and waved to their sister. Said femme looked at them with surprise and then smiled at them, not quite believing it but not wanting it to be a lie either. Then she noticed Starscream there as well, along with many other Autobots and Megatron and his General and lieutenants.

She glowered at them. ''Are they holding you prisoner?''

''They are totally keeping us here against our will.'' Ramjet nodded along with a grin on his face. On the screen, Slipstream sagged with relief and smiled fondly at her strange brothers. ''We definitely don't want to be here. Its so boring and the Autobots are all horrible and they treat us badly. It's Pit.''

''Yeah, they do like to cuddle a bit too much for Decepticon tolerances.'' She said with a grin, recalling the recharge cycle they all had in Optimus's room after their first fight against the Quintessons. The fight and the interrogation of their two squid prisoners had stressed everyone and none of them had felt comfortable alone in their berths, especially when they thought about Optimus. What had been said to their captain was something they never wanted him to think on, so they had all snook into his room and cornered him into his berth and had then all cuddled all night there, with Alpha watching over them all. That was some of the best sleep she had ever had.

''And it is such an honor to be the center of all that glorious cuddling!'' Sunstorm exclaimed and threw his arms around Thundercracker and Skywarp, making the lighter purple jet jump out of his plating while the arrogant darker seeker told him he was inferior and thus wasn't worthy of hugging him, the superior-to-all and oh so great Thundercracker. Slipstream just snorted.

''It would seem that you are still the same. Idiots.'' She fondly shook her helm as she watched them with amused optics.

''Excuse me, but can we speak with someone other than a Starscream clone?'' Sentinel rudely interupted and the seeker femme frowned at him as she studied him. Then realization dawned on her and she snapped her fingers in a distinctly Earthly gesture.

''I know you! You must be that big-chinned idiot, Sentinel!'' Then she glowered. ''The one that put a bounty on my brothers's helms.''

Sentinel flinched back and tried to hide behind Blackarachnia, who rolled her optics. ''Idiot.''

''While I agree with Blackarachnia, and I can't believe I'm about to actually say this, I also agree with Sentinel.'' Everyone looked at Alpha Trion, startled. He made a nauseated face a second later. ''I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.''

Megatron snorted, doing his best not bark out laughing at the old mech before looking back at the femme on the screen. ''Yes, is there anyone else we can talk to? How many are on the ship with you?''

Slisptream, who had started snickering at the Archivist's expression, looked to her onetime lord. ''There are seven on this ship and yes, you could talk to someone, but our captain deserves his rest and the Second in Command is a bit busy, so you'll just have to settle for the Third in Command, meaning me.'' If she seemed a bit smug at the shocked expressions of all the Autobots and the awed faces of her brothers, Megatron wasn't going to mention it, for Starscream's sake. ''Now, what do you want?''

''We would like to speak with your captain. Could you please get him.'' Ultra Magnus said, not asked, apparently thinking he could intimidate her into obeying him. Slipstream looked at him and narrowed her optics and the sound of charging null rays reached their audials. While she could not fire at them, the message was clear. She will protect her captain and she won't take anyone's slag.

Starscream was rather proud of her.

''If your audio sensors are malfunctioning, you have two medics behind you who can fix them as I will not be repeating this one more time: My captain is resting! And I will not wake him for you pathetic waste of space.'' She spat and was about to add something else when a voice behind her drew her attention.

''Slipstream, who are you talking to? And why is Artemis in the corner?''

''Do you _want_ Artemis to talk with the _Autobots_? And _Decepticons_? _Really_?''

A moment of silence, then:"Not really..."

Shockwave pushed Ultra Magnus out of his way as he rushed to the screen, his optic wide with joy. ''BLURR!''

Said Intelligence Agent appeared on screen a second later when Slipstream moved a bit so he could be in the cadre. Shockwave couldn't believe what he saw. His once lover was polished and only had a few traces that there were small dents here and there, probably from the latest battle, but he looked like he did before Shockwave had trapped him and crushed him in the trash compactor. ''You're alright.'' There was such clear affection and relief in his words that Megatron nodded to himself, making his earlier decision final. If his most loyal spy ever wished to take the Autobot as a mate, he will have his lord's blessing and full support.

00000

::Look at him! He obviously still likes you, but you shouldn't jump into his arms just like that.:: Slipstream told Blurr over the comms and the speedster had to focus real hard as to not jump at the suddenness of it. ::Give him a hard time, the cold shoulder and he'll come begging you to take him back.::

::Are you sure?:: Blurr asked worried while he drank in the sight of the mech his spark longed for. He was no longer the aquamarine, gray and white colored mech that had given him a chance, but rather a purple and black Decepticon spy, yet that same adoration he had been seeing in Longarm Prime when his handler had looked at him was still present now as the spy gazed at him with affection and relief that he was alright. Besides, he was somehow even more alluring like this. Tall, dark and handsome. Blurr felt his spark-beat speed up.

::Oh, yeah! Don't you worry, we femmes are always right when something like this is at servo. Trust me, okay? I don't want to see you hurt, but rather happy. And while saying that, be careful.::

::I will. And Slipstream?:: The femme sent him a questioning ping and Blurr had to force himself not to smile. Optimus was right, for all she had Starscream's memories, she was still only a femmeling. ::Thank you.:: A femmeling, but a really smart one.

Blurr collected himself and looked Shockwave up and down in apparent disinterest, while actually checking if he was hurt. He then forced his vocalizer not to betray his love for the spy and instead made it almost nonchalant, while actually having undertones of anger as he said only one word.

''Shockwave.''

Said Decepticon flinched at how cold it had come out and Blurr saw both Artemis and Slipstream snickering behind their servos while giving him a thumbs up, a gesture both Optimus and the femme had picked up on Earth and even Blurr knew of, despite how short his time on the organic planet had been.

''Blurr.'' He said sadly, regretfully and the Agent had a hard time not reaching out for him, despite it only being a screen and not the actual Shockwave. But before the spy could say anything else, Sentinel came back into the picture, quite effectively solving his dilemma.

''A touching reunion with a Decepticon spy, Agent Blurr, but we can discuss your betrayal of the Autobot Commonwealth and the Elite Guard later, now tell us who your captain is and get his lazy aft up there.'' Shockwave bristled from behind the blue Prime and didn't attack him only because Cliffjumper, who had become friends with his once superior officer and now fellow crew member, was standing in front of him, although he, too, was glaring at Sentinel. Megatron looked conflicted between bashing in the ignorant Autobot's helm in or finding out whether his little Prime was on the ship or not.

Slipstream and Blurr both felt their sparks get cold as their faceplates smoothed out until they became emotionless, but their optics were glinting with a silent promise of a world full of hurt. Artemis, who was unseen by the listening group, was steaming with rage for his Lord Optimus.

''That is none of your business, _Autobot_.''

They spat out in one voice, taking everyone aback at the venom in that single word.

''Well, Blurr! You've just shown your true colors!'' Sentinel hissed back, raising his impressive chin, making Slipstream sneer at him.

''Why did you call him Autobot, Blurr? Aren't you one of us, too?'' Bumblebee asked, actually shyly and timidly. Blurr looked at him and was happy to see the team from Earth were there as well and he smiled at them.

''No, I'm not an Autobot.''

''So you _are_ with the Decepticons!'' The yellow minibot accused.

Blurr shook his helm. ''I'm not a Decepticon, either.''

''Preposterous!'' Sentinel spat. ''You're either with us or them!''

Blurr scowled at the Prime and then turned back to Optimus Prime's team. ''I'm a _Cybertronian_ , Bumblebee. No less, but much more. I am with neither faction, but I am with my captain and if _he_ calls me to battle, it is _him_ I'll follow, not Ultra Magnus nor Lord Megatron.''

'' _Oh_ , so it's 'lord', now, eh?''

''For Primus's sake, Quintessa is less annoying than him!'' Artemis exclaimed from his corner, making the two before the screen giggle, actually _giggle_!

''So you know about the attack of the Quintessons?'' Megatron spoke up, so they could actually make some progress.

''Well, they did try to blast us out of the sky a few joors ago.'' Was the sarcastic reply from Slipstream as she inspected her claws.

''So you don't know about the invasion to Cybertron that had started about half a joor ago?''

Blurr and Slipstream widened their optics before Blurr turned and started speaking at abnormal speeds on his commlink. This was something that they needed to tell their captain. ''We didn't know...'' He heard Slipstream answer weakly and turned to place a servo on her upper arm and he saw from the twitch of her wings that it was appreciated and not at all caring that the others were seeing just how close all of the crew on Alpha Supreme had grown.

''They've been arriving more and more over the last two decacycles and have finally entered Autobot space this morning. We only now got the message because they were only now able to contact us.'' Ultra Magnus told them with a serious voice and a grave face. Behind him, Cliffjumper, Jazz and Shockwave were nodding along. ''We have discussed a temporary truce between us and the Decepticons while we're on this journey, searching for a certain something and a special someone, but we are now running out of time. We could use your help, we've seen how you fight, and your captain seems to be an accomplished general. Please, let us board so we can discuss it all like civil beings that we are.''

The two on screen looked conflicted and Artemis didn't know what they should do. They looked at him and he nodded after a klik, wondering if he was making the right decision. Slipstream, after receiving instructions, turned back to their caller and nodded just as reluctantly. ''Alright, you can board through the shuttle bay, but no funny business.'' She warned and hung up just as Jetfire and Jetstorm rushed into the room.

''Sir is not in cabin!''

''Well, slag.''

00000

It took them half a breem to position their ships so they could line up their entrance tunnel and the Axalon's shuttle bay.

Starscream and his clones had rushed to be the first ones on board so they could greet Slipstream and then it was Optimus's team and the Elite Guard, except Cliffjumper, who had decided to enter with the last of the group. Shockwave was also in a rush to see and reconcile with Blurr and Lockdown and Yoketron were sticking with Jazz and Prowl. Thinking that Shockwave was trying to prove himself as the more courageous loyal servant of his glorious lord and master, Lugnut rushed after Shockwave, dragging poor Blitzwing with him.

Cyclonus stayed back with his sweet Hot Rod, whose team stood behind him, and Perceptor and Wheeljack were told to enter last.

Alpha Trion had placed a servo on Strika's upper arm, a signal to let the others go first and Blackarachnia decided to stand behind Sentinel. She wasn't about to be in the open line of fire when he had a shield big enough for two.

More reserved and controlled than the rest, Megatron was in the tail end of their convoy as the doors of the shuttle bay opened and the others made haste in trying to enter as soon as they can.

It's what saved him from a blur of bright, royal colors coming onto them.

In seconds, the seekers were all on the floor, paralyzed by the stasis cuffs on their wrists and complaining. The thing jumped down from the ceiling to the left wall and placed another two pairs of stasis cuffs on Lugnut and Blitzwing, then somersaulted at Shockwave and placed one side on his pede and the other on his wrist, causing him to fall on Bumblebee, then Bulkhead fell on Sentinel, causing him to fall on Blackarachnia in a domino effect and then they were cuffed as well. Arcee managed to avoid getting her wrists cuffed but Blitzwing tipped over and fell on her. When trying to lift of the triplechanger off of her, Ratchet's left wrist was cuffed while the other side of the expendable stasis cuffs was attached to Ultra Magnus's ankle, who had lifted his hammer in an attempt to take out their unknown attacker. Standing up, the blur tackled Jazz and cuffed Prowl in the process, then pushed the white ninja bot at Yoketron while avoiding Lockdown's saw and placing stasis cuffs on him. Their attacker then rushed at the two ninja and placed two pairs of stasis cuffs on Yoketron, all set on extremely strong so they could subdue a mechanism the size of Lugnut or Strika, then another weaker ones on Jazz, before pushing them away from the other two cyber ninjas. They then returned to Lockdown and placed another pair before avoiding a shot from Bumblebee's stinger and cuffing the yellow bot as well. He then did the same for Prowl and turned around at the rest of the party, not even looking at them before going at them.

When the red and blue blur rushed at Megatron, the tyrant had already drawn his swords and was about to strike down the attacker when said mech froze and looked up at the Decepticon lord, royal blue optics widening in surprise.

''Megatron?''

Red optics focus on a smooth, blue face with kissable lips and wide blue optics, a blue helm with two stripes of yellow, auidal finnals, a crest in the middle. Megatron felt his battle protocols shutting off and his gaze softening while his spark was spinning in joy and excitement. ''Optimus Prime.''

A grin crept its way on those full lip components. ''So you can remember my name.''

''Boss-bot!'' His team from earth distracted the young red and blue Prime and he finally took in just who walked into his ship. Or at least, tried to. ''That was so awesome! Who taught you to do that? Can you teach me? Did anyone time that?'' Bumblebee rambled as he stared at his leader with wonder in his optics. He was still cuffed, just like everyone else, but the ninjas seemed to be trying to get out using Processor over Matter but the stasis cuffs were set too high for them to truly focus.

''Yeah, Boss-bot. We always knew you were good, but I never knew someone could be this good.'' Bulkhead commented from where he lied next to Sentinel and Blackarachnia.

''Impressive.'' Was all Prowl said and it broke Optimus out of his embarrassment and he stared at the black and gold supposedly offline cyber ninja just as his crew, with the exception of Artemis and Roller, barged into the room and stared at the scene before them. ''PROWL!? You're alive!'' A big grin spread across his face and his friend returned it while the rest of the team from Earth sighed in relief. Optimus seemed fine and now he won't feel guilty for Prowl's death. ''But how?''

''Yeah, that's something I've yet to find out, too.'' Lockdown grumbled behind the smaller cyber ninja, making Prowl shiver minutely at his rumbling voice and causing Optimus to rise an optical ridge before his grin turned a bit sly. Then he thought about the question before hitting his left fist with his right one as Slipstream rushed to her brothers and creator to ask what happened.

''The Allspark! Someone must have asked it to release you from the Well and return you to the world of the online. There is no other logical explanation.''

''And just how is that logical?'' Shockwave spat from where Blurr was releasing him after getting a nod from his captain.

''If you ever read anything, you would know that the Allspark is a part of Primus's own Spark and thus can answer prayers. Now with saying that, I think I know who sent those prayers in the first place... So, where's Alpha Trion?'' The red and blue Prime looked around, trying to see if he had somehow not realized he had cuffed his almost-mentor, too, like he had done with Ultra Magnus. He grinned again when he saw Blackarachnia by Sentinel, glad she had survived a second time. It would seem she was immune to explosions.

''I'm back here, not believing my old optics.''

Optimus turned happily around and nearly ran to the old mech and hugged him, being drawn into old but still strong servos instantly and his helm was petted with gentle care. Alpha Trion sighed in relief when he made sure that it really was Optimus and he had a hard time letting go of his charge. He looked him up and down, just to double check his triple check from earlier and he still couldn't believe what met his optics. He raised and optic ridge but before he could as, another voice spoke.

''Wow, Optimus! Looking good!'' Sari exclaimed with a big smile as she floated over to the two bookworms.

Optimus smiled at her but looked slightly confused, before remembering his new finish. He flushed with embarrassment as everyone stared at him, taking in the blue flames now running across his arms and chassis. A few of the observes let out cat calls and Optimus felt a certain pair of red optics raking his frame in an appreciative manner and he fought with himself no to fidget.

''I... can't explain the flames.''

''What do you mean?'' Sari asked as she settled on his shoulder and hugged his face like she used to when she was smaller. She really had missed him. They all had, but Optimus was her idol and inspiration, like many other young kids back in Detroit. While she would have missed any of her friends, his absence was the most felt.

''Primal Major had a thing for art... When I woke up like this, he told me it was to... hide me?'' Optimus shrugged. ''I still don't know from what but he said that I would be better off with this paint job.'' Alpha Trion was looking and still not able to believe the image his optics were giving him. He feared it to be an illusion and he didn't know what he would do if it ended up being so. ''He said that all the answers to my questions are either in the library on my ship or in his captain's log, but I haven't finished reading either yet.''

''Your ship?'' Ultra Magnus asked as Hot Rod and Cliffjumper helped him up, Blurr zooming around to free everyone else.

''What happened here?'' Slipstream interrupted as she walked up to her captain.

''Someone,'' A pointed look at both Slipstream and Blurr, who had stopped at the tone of voice. ''Forgot to contact me via commlink to tell me we will be getting guests and I found out when someone tried opening the shuttle bay. I reacted how anyone in my situation would and took the stasis cuffs from one of the crates and confronted them.''

Jetfire and Jestorm stared at him in awe. ''You did this alone?''

Megatron smirked and replied before the humble Prime could open his intake. ''He sure did.''

''Cool!''

Optimus rubbed his nasal ridge.

''You are destined to be a sparklingsiter, kid.'' Ratchet said amusedly as he walked over and ran a scan on the Prime.

A snort. ''You have no idea.''

Alpha Trion nodded to his charge's words.

''Excuse me, but you said it was your ship?'' Ultra Magnus interpreted again.

Optimus blinked. ''Of course it's my ship. Oh, right. You... yeah, you don't know the story. Well, I'll kick you up to speed over energon, but for now, say hi Alpha.''

''Hi.''

Everyone jumped as the ship rumbled with its voice, making the crew of said ship smirk. Optimus crossed his arms and watched as Ultra Magnua, Ratchet, Perceptor and Wheeljack turned to him with horrified expressions. He raised an optic ridge when the Autobot commander tightened his grip on his Hammer, looking vary. He looked at Alpha Trion, only to see his mentor had a considering look on his face.

''What?''

''So you... you're the one that killed Primal Major and stole the codes for Alpha Supreme?!'' Brawn exclaimed as he prepared his weapons and was about to rush him when Artemis jumped in front of his leader out of virtually nowhere.

''If you so much as lay a single digit on my Lord Optimus, I will introduce you to whole new levels of pain, little Autobot scum!''

''A Quintesson!'' Sentinel screamed as he got out his own weapons, many of the other present following him, even Megatron. ''So you really are a traitor!'' Both he and Brawn charged at Optimus and Artemis, but Optimus simply activated his jetpack and lifted Artemis out of their path, causing them to stumble into a crate holding cleaning supplies. The red and blue Prime flew over to his trine and the four of them put Artemis behind them as they stared down the other, bigger group.

''If you want Artemis, you'll have to go through us!'' The Jettwins said before turning to Safeguard and Slipstream powered up her null rays.

''I will not allow harm to come to Artemis.'' Alpha Supreme thundered and activated internal defense systems, pointing many guns at the crew from the Steelhaven and the Orion.

''Artemis?'' Starscream asked. ''The Second in Command you mentioned over the video call?''

Optimus looked at his TIC, SIC and communications officer, his expression saying that they will talk later. ''Yes, my Second in Command. You have something against him, you talk to me.'' He drew himself to his full hight, and although he was a lot shorter than the Decepticons and even Ultra Magnus, he still made and intimidating sight.

''Well, well.'' All optics turned to Alpha Trion. ''I had thought almost all of the First 100 were dead, with only two survivors.''

Artemis stepped forward, pushing his Lord behind him despite the younger bot's protests. ''It is the situation, now. Until a few days ago, it was three of us, but Pepest died while shipping me off to Quintessa off world. I take it that I was to be brought upon her warship, if what you said was the truth and not a deception so we would let you board.''

''Unfortunately, it is true.'' The Archivist walked up to Artemis and extended his servo. ''You said your name is Artemis. Do you know it's meaning in the Ancient Dialect?''

Artemis grinned, taking the offered servo and shaking it. ''Very much so, seeing as it means the number under which I was born. Thirteen.''

''That little fool never let go, did he?''

''I don't think any of my Lords ever let go.'' Artemis answered, before frowning and wondering why this Autobot knew about the pain of the Primes.

''Yeah, we never really could.'' Alpha Trion said sadly, surprising the Quintesson. He then shook his helm and smiled a small smile. ''Let me introduce myself. I am Alpha Trion and I would like to thank you for taking care of Optimus for me. I would like to thank all of you for looking out for him.'' He said to the group behind the silver mech.

Green optics widened and the Quint did a little bow. ''It is an honor to meet you, my Lord Alpha Trion.''

There was a moment of silence as the Archivist got the Quintesson to stand up and shake his servo again, in which Optimus had explained to his old team briefly how Artemis came to be on their ship, to which they all 'ooh'-ed and 'ah'-ed.

Blurr then stepped up to his captain and told him that Roller was getting restless in the bridge, which made Optimus smile sheepishly.

''Who's Roller?'' Sari asked, still siting on his shoulder as if fearing he might disappear if she were to get off. Optimus understood, since he _had_ disappeared so suddenly that he must have given his team quite a fright. But upon hearing that question, he grinned at her and motioned for everyone to follow him.

''Come and meet him. We still need to sit down and talk.''

00000

He should have known it would go like this.

As Optimus rubbed his nasal ridge, feeling a helm-ache coming on while both of his teams, the Elite Guard, the Council and the Decepticon High Command (and Lockdown AND Yoketron) all argued in one of the meeting rooms upon Alpha Supreme. Said shipformer was fearfully quiet, seeing as armed warframes and civilian frames were fighting in him.

The initial introduction between Omega Supreme and Alpha Supreme had been bordering on cute and the femmes (excluding Strika) had actually cooed at them. Prowl had found it fascinating while Jazz thought it crazy, in a good way. The Decepticons had been vary, with good reason, of course, since they were now at the mercy of two awake and alive Omega Sentinels that had been such a pain in the aft during the Great War. Jetfire and Jetstorm took great pleasure in introducing their giant friend to the rest of the Elite Guard, although Hot Rod had been more interested in talking with Optimus. Alpha Trion had pulled Artemis to the side so the Quintesson could tell on Optimus for all the risky and dangerously stupid things he had been doing since the gray and green mech had joined the crew. Luckily, none of the rest of his crew were going to tell on him. Starscream and his clones had all gathered around Slipstream, where she proceeded telling them her impressions of both Alpha Supreme and the crew living on the shipformer. Blurr talked with Cliffjumper, convincing the red minibot that it was not his fault he had thrown him as a cube out, while completely ignoring Shockwave, who looked guilty as Pit. Sari, Bumblebee and Bulkhead had been enthusiastic to meet another giant mech and had talked with him like they now talked with Omega. Said shipformer talked to his new companion as if they had known each other all their functions despite this being the first time they had met.

The three Omega Sentinels had very easily clicked together to for an even bigger ship, but they were now standing in place instead of traveling. Ultra Magnus had refused to move another mechanometer until all facts were on the table and Strika had agreed. Optimus had nothing against that and as soon as the merge happened, they had all gathered aboard Alpha Supreme. The red and blue Supreme was at the top, Omega separating him from the Steelhaven, upon Optimus's request. The red and blue Prime refused to be that close to the Elite Guard with a Decepticon, a Quintesson and two exiles on his crew roster.

Upon entering the conference room, almost the whole crew of both Omega Supreme and the Steelhaven had stopped in their tracks at the sight of Roller moving around preparing for a long, complicated conversation. Blackarachnia and Sentinel just waved to their old teammates lifelong friend, Jazz said hi and Ultra Magnus tried to not show how unsettled he still was by the little Minicon. The rest, however, have rarely, if ever, even seen a Minicon and so they had stared. The Decepticons had given him a wide berth, not liking being near their caretakers from Trypticon and Roller wasn't insulted by it. Optimus then had to introduce his little partner, which earned him a bunch of questions he had to answer as to how one of the most neutral in the Autobot vs Decepticon war was not so neutral but a friend of the Autobots. They had refused to sit down until that was discussed so Optimus grew a bit too exasperated.

After he finished the story of his sparklinghood, Optimus went for the captain's chair and sat without even bothering to offer it to either faction leader and that just made Alpha Trion grin in pride while Sentinel and Lugnut bristled. Megatron had just watched both amused and proud that the one Autobot that had ever defeated him was no longer the type to bow down to someone just because of their rank. After all, he was a captian of his own ship now and he had his own little domain where his word was law. He had his crew and his ship, he was a leader and his decisions shaped the lives of those under his command. He needed the attitude he was showing now if he wanted to be a good captain.

When the red and blue young Prime had noticed his old friend's expression, he had had to fight down a grin as he knew where this was heading.

''You disrespectful piece of Decepticon and Quintesson loving slag! That seat is for the highest ranking officers!''

And just as he had predicted, Sentinel attacked without thinking, and although it was only verbally, his crew wasn't going to take it. He already saw Alpha training a camera on the blue, big-chinned Prime and only a blind person would miss the narrowing of blue, green, red and yellow optics. Not to mention the sudden hostile mix of six EM fields of the Axalon's crew members.

Optimus's grin was just s sharp as it had been the day he had barged in on Megatron's trail. ''Well, Sentinel, seeing as I am the captain of this ship, it is my place. Of course, I have nothing against someone other than me sitting here. Would you like to, Sentinel Acting Magnus?'' Said Prime had looked at the comfy chair Optimus had just gotten out of and looked to the two seats on either side, which were going to be occupied by the SIC and TIC. Green and red optics focused on the blue Prime, Slipstream inspecting her null rays and Artemis exercising his four tentacles.

Sentinel only uttered a small ''No.''

Artemis ended up giving his seat to Alpha Trion out of respect and Slipstream did the same for Megatron, so the old Archivist was on the red and blue captain's right and Megatron was on his little Prime's left, their elbow joints touching.

When Optimus started talking about first the reason he had barged into the trail in the first place, the things he had read and the way he had stopped the farce from continuing, everyone was quiet as a grave. The waking up on the then still never onlined Alpha Supreme and the first visit of foreign people on Seperam 3, how they were attacked by the Qvotus and how Optimus had made his decision after his new friend's death to give Alpha a chance.

''I had a dream that night. It was an old dream I used to have as a sparkling all the time. Cybertron like it was before all the wars, how everyone had walked around freely without anyone ever giving them snide glances or trying to oppress them. I used to dream about it because I read a lot about what they had come to call the Golden Age of Cybertron. I always read and researched about it. Looked for pictures and I fell in love with it. Sometimes, I think... that I even dreamed I saw the remaining Primes walking amongst their people and them parting for them, despite them telling them all the time that it was unnecessary... I remember I once saw the Well in one of those dreams, but that dream was interrupted and I never saw it again...'' He had shook his helm here, his optics clearing as he focused back on the present, not noticing Alpha Trion's and Artemis's shocked expressions. ''The point is, everyone was equal back then and had a chance... And I wanted to make it like that again. Primal Major said that whatever is at the end of the maps he gave me, it could restore peace back on Cybertron and he just had to find someone who was meant to find that something.''

He had then proceed to tell them how Alpha had never been onlined in that lab and how Primal Major and his crew kept up the act so that a sparkling was never sent to war, if only one out of thirteen. He told them about him and Roller taking off and finding the Jettwins and then accidentally stumbling upon Blurr the cube and then healing him with the energy from the Omega Lock, which they had quite a few container of. The visit to Helens, where they found Slipstream and the party and the spar that made Optimus trine leader and meeting Knock Out and Breakdown (who sent their regards) and the first Quintesson attack.

Optimus's team was quite angry with how the Quintessons had spoken to their leader, just as angry as his new crew had been. Megatron had dented the table when he had clutched it in anger, which earned him a reprimand from Optimus and snickers from his own mechs.

When he was explaining how they found Artemis and why he became part of the crew, Starscream and his clones all thanked Jetstorm and Ratchet and First Aid immediately checked the blue twin, despite him obviously being fine. The trip to the aquatic planet was rather brief and the rest the others knew. However, there was one thing that had been a bump in the road, so to speak.

''What do you mean you can't take the jetpack off?!'' Ratchet yelled at the top of his vocalizer. Artemis looked down, as if ashamed while Optimus just shrugged.

''It kind of became a part of my systems. It integrated flawlessly, despite my being a grounder. Well, I'm not anymore, not really. I think it might have something to do with the energy from the Omega Lock. Or... something else.'' He opened his subspace and took out the Allspark fragment Slipstream had given him.

''Could be.'' Alpha Trion answered, not even having to ponder it.

''But what is the Omega Lock?'' The young Prime asked the old mech.

''A mysterious device whose creation is lost to myths and rumor. It was crated by Solus Prime, Megatronus Prime, Alchemist Prime and Quintus Prime, should Cybertron ever become sick. The Omega Lock launches Cyber Matter. It's purpose is to restore Cybertron should the planet be heavily damaged. However, as it launches Cyber Matter it can also cyberform entire worlds. The Omega Lock generates a power output equal to that of a black hole and can be quite the dangerous weapon as thus. Powered by the four Omega Keys, the Omega Lock stands deep in the Sea of Rust, waiting to be used should the need arise. However, at the beginning of the War for Freedom, the Omega Lock's power was stored so that more soldiers could be saved with greater speed. I'm aware that most of those containers were placed on this very ship at the beginning of the Great War, to be kept away from Decepticon clutches.''

Optimus nodded.

His crew explained how they ended up being here before Alpha Trion, Ratchet, Ultra Magnus and Megatron explained how and why they made this little rescue mission. Their journey was almost crazier than Optimus's and his crew's and they said as such, but when they began talking about the invasion of Cybertron, a fight broke out. Optimus was quite set on finishing his quest in the honor of his friend and Alpha Trion supported him, as well as Megatron, Strika and Cyclonus, while the rest of the Decepticons didn't make much protests. Starscream had wanted to say something but remembered to what lengths he went to get revenge for his trine and his bond mate.

The Autobots started calling Optimus and his crew traitors. Of course, not all, but a good part of the Autobots thought that he was just being a coward or traitors and they began poking at the fact that he had not just a Decepticon femme but also a Quintesson on his ship. Optimus's crew and team were pissed at the accusations and an epic argument broke out.

That was three hours ago.

Now, Optimus was ready to tear off his audios just so he wouldn't have to listen to them!

Even Roller was arguing!

Seeing as the madness won't end unless he did something, but knowing that by now no one will hear him, the red and blue Prime easily exited the room and began to pace in front of its doors. Alpha and Omega were asking him over comms if he was alright and he told them briskly that he was fine before sighing and apologizing. They didn't deserve for him to snap at them. They were practically sparklings.

Optimus was about to rub his face with his servos when something occurred to him. The one thing that always stopped any arguing on his ship had been the ship itself, Alpha Supreme. Could he stop them now? No, no. To them Alpha was probably as much a traitor despite the shipformer never even getting a chance to really pick either faction or if he will fight at all.

But maybe another Omega Sentinel?

Optimus grinned. _'I have just the bot for the job.'_

The Prime made haste to the storage bay where he kept the stored energies. He had yet to tell the others that he had the Allspark energy stored here as well. He took one of the containers of the Omega Lock energy and two of the Allspark energy containers and set a fast pace towards the elevator that the merge between Omega Sentinels creates. ''Alpha, Omega, would you mind letting me directly into Steelhaven?''

''Of course, Optimus.'' Alpha replied immediately and sent him down to Omega.

''It is no problem.'' The other Supreme answered and sent him to the blue and silver ship.

Optimus had to contain his excitement as he made his way down oh so similar but different hallways.


	25. Chapter 25

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth,a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: Hi! So, as you have noticed, that last chapter was a lot longer. All the new chapters will be longer as well as we are closing to the end and more action will be taking place. The end of Optimus's journey is near, the couples will slowly start hooking up, more fights with the squids and finally some OPxMegs sweet moments, nothing too much, since they're just starting out, but there might be a lemon later, still haven't decided on that. Next chapter, I'm going to be a bit mean to Optimus since someone close to him will die, but I won't give any more teasers than that.(If anyone guesses, please don't reveal the secret who it is, please?*puppy-dog eyes*) It will be even longer than this one, and this is the longest thus far!**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy this new chapter and would like to thank all my loyal readers and reviewers! You're all wonderful!**

 **That's it for now!**

 _Previously..._

 _The Prime made haste to the storage bay where he kept the stored energies. He had yet to tell the others that he had the Allspark energy stored here as well. He took one of the containers of the Omega Lock energy and two of the Allspark energy containers and set a fast pace towards the elevator that the merge between Omega Sentinels creates. ''Alpha, Omega, would you mind letting me directly into Steelhaven?''_

 _''Of course, Optimus.'' Alpha replied immediately and sent him down to Omega._

 _''It is no problem.'' The other Supreme answered and sent him to the blue and silver ship._

 _Optimus had to contain his excitement as he made his way down oh so similar but different hallways._

 _Now..._

It didn't take him long to adjust to the slight differences and he was soon in front of the sparkchamber of Sigma Supreme.

When he somehow managed to open the chamber, he felt the emptiness of it and had to bite back an anguished cry that wanted to escape from his lips. It looked so cold without the beating spark of this sentient being and Optimus thought he understood why Ultra Magnus no longer showed emotions. A big fragment of his spark must have been taken into the Well when Sigma offlined.

Well, it was time to give it back.

Optimus made quick work of finding the best place to insert the energies into and he first gave the one dose of the Omega Lock energy, just to make sure there were no damages that might be undetectable without the ship being sentient and alive to report it. As the ship began to glow from receiving the healing energy, the young Prime prepared the other two containers. One was enough for a normal mech or femme, so he had to hope that two would be good enough for an Omega Sentinel. He knew they had only limited amounts of both energies but that wasn't going to stop him from using them to save lives when he was given the chance.

When the glow faded, Optimus settled the first container to be injected directly into the spark while the other was set to inject into the circuitry. Thankfully, both ports were close enough that Optimus could activate them at the same time, although he knew it wasn't exactly necessary. He had thought that the Allspark energy would work similarly to the Omega Lock energy or to how Sari's key used to work, but the Allspark had always been unpredictable. It spread and spread and spread until it engulfed all three ships and all the Bots and Cons and Quintesson and Minicon aboard them and restored all damages to a perfect state. Processors, sparks, frames, everything was fixed as if Primus himself had washed away all their pains and sadnesses.

When Optimus could finally look, as the light had been blinding, there was a big spark in front of him, beating steadily and in a similar manner to Alpha Supreme's own spark that Optimus could feel due to his mentor bond to the shipformer. For a few seconds, old systems long ago offlined were being rebooted and checked an double checked before a deep voice spoke.

''W-Where am I? Who are you? Where is Ultra Magnus?!''

The ship was beginning to panic so Optimus gently stroked over the counsel by his spark chamber.

''You are pretty deep in Quintesson space. Ultra Magnus is on Alpha Supreme, to whom you are connected through your Omega Sentinel merge, along with Omega Supreme. And I am Optimus Prime, the captain of Alpha Supreme and the crew aboard him.''

''Ultra is safe?''

Optimus smiled at a camera that was studying him. ''Yes. Now, if you want, you can let me get to your bridge so we can send a hail to my ship. They'll answer and you can talk to him. Since he missed you very much, he'll rush down here in a second to talk to you.''

A pause before he got his answer.

''I would... like that. Thank you, Optimus Prime, for bringing me back.''

Optimus grinned as doors opened for him as he walked to the bridge.

''You're very welcome, Sigma Supreme.''

00000

Unsurprisingly, the others indeed didn't notice Optimus leaving until they received the hail. Even Megatron and Alpha Trion, since they were both engaged in arguing with Ultra Magnus and Sentinel Prime, respectively, although it had gotten mixed up about the time Optimus left. And even his trine didn't notice, since Slipstream was busy either defending Artemis or snapping at Sentinel and Starscream (only occasionally, since her creator's haze of anger had finally lifted somewhat and he now just wanted to go home to Cybertron). Optimus's team from Earth, Sari, who had flown into the middle of the table to exchange insults and snappy comments with Hot Shot at the beginning of the argument, and the Axalon's crew were arguing with the rest of the Elite Guard there, snapping even at the Magnus from time to time, but mostly Ratchet did this. Cyclonus and Hot Rod remained quiet for the most part but the purple Decepticon did jump to his Lord's aid when needed.

So, when the hail came, Blurr rushed to the counsel in the room and was surprised to see that it was a frequency that had recently called them and that meant...

''Captain, we're receiving a hail from the Steelhaven. It would seem that they have lied to us, after all.''

''How dare they!'' Slipstream screamed and powered up her null rays, which caused everyone else to do the same. Her brothers came to stand beside her but she actually growled at them, her optics showing how hurt she was at the thought of them deceiving her. Alpha Trion looked confusedly over to Artemis and the Quintesson quickly stood up and went in front of the old mech, acting as a living shield.

''I thought you said this was everyone.'' The Quintesson spat coldly, glaring at everyone, especially Megatron, as they had all just so recently found out their captain was in love with this mech and it would hurt him if he found out he was just deceiving him.

''As far as I know, this _is_ everyone!'' The warlord had indeed seen the accusing look was directed at him and he answered immediately, not wanting to lose favor from Optimus's friends, as that would make courting the young Prime even harder.

''And it is, unless someone snuck on our ship on one of the planets we stopped at.'' Ultra Magnus snapped, glaring at the femme seeker, who only sneered at him.

''Why don't you answer the hail and we see what the situation is?'' Shockwave suggested, only to get a weird look from the Intelligence Agent.

''I can't do that without the captain's permission.'' Blurr answered from his place before finally, _finally_ , looking in the direction of the captain's chair at the head of the long, oval table. ''Captain? Captain?!''

Hearing the panic in Blurr's voice, everyone stopped focusing on each other and the weapons they all held and looked at where Optimus was supposed to be, only to gasp in stunned, stupefied shock when they saw there was no one there. Sari actually fell to the table in despair as what she had feared, happened. As soon as she had lost contact with the Autobot leader, he disappeared. Alpha Trion almost choked on his vocalizer and Artemis had to hold him up while Strika made to move towards him. Megatron just stared at the empty space, not knowing what to think. Jetfire and Jetstorm slumped against each other from where they were yelling at Brawn and Blackarachnia actually contemplated trying to open the old bond with her Amica Endura. Roller beeped in distress. Sentinel and Ultra were just quiet as Cyclonus took Hot Rod's hand in his own discreetly, offering comfort. Ratchet cursed at himself for letting the kid to get out of his optic sight while the youngsters all slumped in defeat. The rest didn't know how to react, but they were unsettled by the sudden disappearance of such a skilled fighter.

Seeing as no one was saying anything, Slipstream looked at Blurr with anguished optics. ''Answer the hail. Maybe whoever it is knows something about the disappearance of our captain.''

Feeling empty inside, despite Shockwave placing a servo on his shoulder, Blurr hesitantly answered the hail.

What greeted their optics sent both relief and anger through their sparks. There Optimus was, sitting casually in the captain's chair aboard the Steelhaven, reading a datapad with a few energon candies in his other hand as he waited for his hail to be answered. There were two strange containers peaking out from behind the big chair. The young Prime was sprawled over both armrests, his long, shapely blue and silver legs dangling from one while he was partially leaning on the other. He looked no worse for wear than he had the last time anyone had looked at him before the arguments had started, although he seemed a bit sleepy and tired...

''OPTIMUS!''

Said Prime looked up from his datapad and smiled, before rolling his optics. ''Took you long enough to answer.''

''You little fragger! We thought you disappeared again!''

''Now now, Ratchet. That's no language to use with two younglings, quite a few mechlings and three, no all in all eight sparklings listening in.'' The red and blue captain of the Axalon chided teasingly. There was an amused and victorious twinkle in his optics and only a few recognized it. Those who did grew curious, and although the Decepticons don't know this bot all that well, they could tell he was immensely satisfied with himself.

Just what had Optimus Prime been up to while they were fighting?!

''And just what are you doing there, old buddy?'' Sentinel hissed.

Said Autobot tsked at the other Prime. ''Come now, Sentinel. You were all acting like sparklings so I had to do something to draw your attention away from all the arguing and I had suddenly gotten the perfect idea!''

''You mean abducting another Omega Sentinel ship?'' Hot Shot growled at him and Optimus rolled his optics again.

''If I wanted another ship, I would have taken Omega Supreme, don't you think? He is alive and well, so he would be the obvious choice. Not to mention he trusts me, so that would have been a bonus, too.'' Optimus straightened up from his sprawled position, drawing everyone's optics to his legs and making Megatron growl at everyone staring at his intended. ''No, like I said, I wanted to draw your attention and it occurred to me that I could do it while also doing a good deed and making someone immensely happy.''

''By hijacking my precious ship?'' Ultra Magnus asked, voice and posture tense as he watched what had once been a very promising soldier now a leader in his own right, not taking anyone's slag and doing as he pleases because he believes it is right. He had obviously grown arrogant...

Optimus sighed and rolled his optics again. ''Do you want to know what I did or not?''

''I would like to know what you did that almost caused me to get a spark-attack.'' Alpha Trion commented, standing between Artemis, who was equally worried and pissed, and Strika, who found the little Autobot very amusing and quite worthy of her Lord so far. He would surely keep the warlord busy and interested and who knows? With how he had ebeen acting, he just might have what it takes to unite their people once again. One would call him a fool for believing that was at all possible and Strika an even greater fool for believing in _him_ , but she was the one seeing Decepticons and Autobots on a single vessel and not killing each other.

Optimus smiled sheepishly at his somewhat mentor. ''I made a new friend, is all.''

''So there is someone else there?!'' Slipstream said and powered up her null rays again, almost getting everyone back into the same situation had Optimus not told her to stand down. Not willing to disobey her trine leader over these morons, she did but continued glaring at them.

''Well, there always was another person here, it's just that no one could reach them.''

''You mean someone was trapped there?'' Hot Rod asked, speaking up for the first time since he shook hands with his Academy idol.

''In a manner of speaking.'' The other Prime said mysteriously, still wearing that sheepish smile and having that look in his beautiful optics. ''Would you all like to speak with him? He sure is eager to meet all of you!''

Seeing the container behind their leader, the Jettwins whispered somehting over the commlink that had the rest of the crew from Alpha Supreme sharing looks of shock and disbelief. After Roller confirmed that it was indeed those containers, Slipstream broke out laughing while Alpha Trion demanded from Artemis to tell him what was going on. Artemis just pointed to the containers and recognizing their design as well, the old Archivist sighed in fond exasperation. Trust Optimus to do something like this!

''You didn't? You did, didn't you!'' Slipstream started laughing all over again and Blurr shook his head. Typical Optimus Prime. Well, it was one of the reasons he had decided to become a part of his crew in the first place. When Shockwave looked at him quizzically, the Agent just smiled at him, causing the single red optic to extend in surprise at the sweet expression.

''Let's hear from this new friend of yours, Optimus. Who is he? Another lowly repair bot? Or maybe another criminal?!'' The blue Prime snapped, getting impatient. Blackarachnia rolled her optics and wondered why she was trying to have another chance with the douche.

''Well ,why don't you decide for yourself?'' Optimus grinned and looked above him. ''Come on, don't be shy!'' His expression turned gentle like when he was talking to Alpha, as his crew knew, or with Omega, like his old team knows he does. What the frag?

A moment of hesitant silence then a deep voice similar, but different from both Alpha's and Omega's voices answered shyly. ''Hello.''

Ratchet, Perceptor and Wheeljack reeled back from surprise and all three fell right on their afts, to stunned to even register it. Slipstream smiled as Alpha answered back to his new companion as well, soon enough followed by Omega's equally rumbling voice. Megatron didn't know weather he should be impressed or scared by what the little Prime could do.

Ultra Magnus, though, rushed forward towards the counsel and Shockwave had to pull away a surprised Blurr before the big blue and white bot barreled over him. ''Sigma Supreme?''

This time, there was no hesitation and Optimus's face on the screen became even more gentle and fond. ''Ultra Magnus? Is that you?'' The hope and affection in that deep voice was unmistakable and the Prime just sat back and watched his work getting its reward.

''By Primus... How? Why? Why, Optimus Prime?'' The Magnus looked at the bot before him. Why did he do it? He didn't have to. Why did he give him back one of the two people he would need to feel happy, content and complete? Why, when Ultra had never done anything for him? Even giving him command over the Orion and these repair bots was supposed to be a mockery of what he could have been? Of what he should have become! Of what he has always been meant to be. Was he really that selfless? Even after all the slag both he and Sentinel had been putting him through for the past thousand stellar cycles?

And what did Ultra do exactly to deserve this kindness from a mech that had every right to give him none?

''Didn't I make it clear a few hours ago that I only want a world were everyone has a chance? Don't you think that that should also involve the Omega Sentinels?''

Ultra stared long and hard at the young bot and finally he thought he saw what Alpha Trion had always been going on about in this one bot, This was no Autobot Academy cadet that had taken the fall for Sentinel's stubbornness. And this was definitely no traitor. No, this was a possible uniter of a species that has been divided for millions of years...

''Thank you, Optimus Prime.'' There was a different feeling to that title now, even if he said it the same way he had always said it. It felt inadequate for this mech, but he can't do anything about it now. Later, he would deal it it properly later. For now... ''Would you please return so we can discuss how we can help you complete your quest as soon as we can so we can all go back and fight off the Quintressons together?''

The smile on those pale blue faceplates was so bright and happy that Ultra Magnus couldn't even pay attention to the shocked sputtering going on behind him.

00000

''So we actually only have one more day of flight to this place?'' Strika asked as she leaned over the star maps the little Prime got from Primal Major. They really were some of the best she had seen, quite detailed and with a lot of information that actually makes the trip shorter and safer. Color her impressed, it was the best map she had seen and an Autobot Major had made it with his own servos.

''According to these maps, that is correct. Unless we run into any kind of trouble, I'm guessing that we will be able to get back to Cybertron by recharge cycle the next day. However, this is an steroid field known for changing shape and course at all times.'' The red and blue Prime expertly pointed out their destination and the above mentioned possible problem. ''We can't go there, not with these big ships. I have finished Primal Major's captain's log an hour ago and he said that he had gone there with the help of one of the nearby locals with flight engines to reach the center. And even then ,there were only the two of them and it had been hard enough. And only Primal made it to the center. I suggest that someone comes with me as backup but stays away from the center itself.''

''Meaning either a Decepticon or one of the Jettwins.'' Ultra Magnus conceeded, sitting in one of the chairs that was brought into Optimus's cabin so they could devise a plan. It was Optimus, Alpha Trion, Strika, Megatron, Ultra Magnus, Shockwave, Perceptor, Starscream and Yoketron, all representing various parts of their now united crews, who were all a bit anxious with the new development. Artemis and Slipstream had decided to stay with the others and try to calm them down and settle everyone for the new alliance, which was going to be a hard enough job as is. Sentinel was baned from entering and Roller had decided to serve everyone some high grade so they could relax a little.

''Absolutely not. Those flying twins are the first Decepticon sparklings in four million years and I will not allow them anywhere near such a dangerous place!'' It was Megatron who protested and after saying it like that, it was actually quite obvious why they shouldn't go. Not to mention that Optimus wouldn't have allowed to them to go either way.

''I agree. They might be good fighters but they are nowhere near experienced enough for something of this magnitude. Besides, I might need someone bigger and with more firepower. The minerals of those rocks are hard and very much stable, so I need Decepticon weaponry to blow them to smithereens.''

''And just why do _you_ need to go?'' Starscream asked, inspecting the map but also looking at the young Autobot leader from the corner of his optics. ''You're not an experienced flier either. A few seekers could finish this in a matter of breems.''

''Because Primal Major picked Optimus for a reason. He must have found a way to at least partially decode the text in Optimus's file and found out that it is probably only Optimus Prime who could complete this mission.'' Alpha Trion explained from where he sat at Optimus's desk, reading over the Major's notes and log. That fragger had most definitely read the young Prime's files, alright. If this was going how the old mech was hoping it was going, Quintessa will soon be running back to her home world with all of her tentacles between her legs in shame and would never dare come even near Cybertronian space again.

''And just what might that be?'' Yoketron asked. He had been quiet for most of the journey, preferring to spend time with his students and observing how and why they had changed. Now, however, he was here to represent them so he had to speak up. He had always been a mech of few words and those were most of the time cryptic, but this red, gray and purple old mech spoke more than him but was ten times more cryptic. Maybe he should be taking notes?

''That is none of your business.'' The Archivist answered without even looking up from his reading. ''Maybe Optimus himself will tell you one day, but for now we have more things to worry about.''

''I agree.'' Perceptor droned. And although he was still mostly emotionless in appearances, he had started showing his emotions a lot more as of late. Must be all the craziness getting to him. ''Who would you think best for this mission, Optimus Prime?''

Said mech buried his face in his servos and sighed deeply. He was really tired now. ''Anybot who's willing to go and has at least a bit experience flying in meteor fields.''

''They also need to be maneuverable, so that means I and Lugnut fall out.'' Strika commented, not happy that she was lacking in anything.

''Me and Lockdown are grounders, despite being warframes, so we can't, either.'' Shockwave said as he crossed his servos and studied the big map.

''Me and my clones are more than capable-''

''I'll go.'' All helm snapped in Megatron's direction when he interrupted Starscream. ''While you and your clones are expert flier, we don't know if your null rays will be enough to break those asteroids. They might be stronger than you can handle.''

''Right. And the whole universe knows that your Fusion Cannon is the strongest individual firing weapon.'' Ultran Magnus concluded with a nod.

''Second strongest.'' Both Optimus and Alpha Trion mumbled under their intakes and although the others heard them, they didn't quite catch what they had said.

''But can he trust you?'' Yoketron asked again, remembering what Prowl had told him about the one time the young Prime and the Decepticon warlord had combined forces to defeat Starscream and his fleet of clones back on Earth. ''Or will he just become a living shield again?''

Megatron winced and Optimus turned away, not wanting to look into those red optics that held no care for him while his sparks longed for the larger mech.

''We can solve this in the morning. Now, lets refuel and go recharge.'' With that, the red and blue bot left the room to get his ration and spend a little time with his team and his crew.

00000

In the middle of the recharge cycle, after waking up from a hazy dream about the Primes, Optimus was surprised to hear a knock on his door. He hadn't thought that the others would want to snuggle up with him tonight. Slipstream was with her brothers and Blurr, he was sure, was talking with Shockwave, starting their relationship anew. The Jettwins were just playing with his teammates, if they were still awake, and everyone else had heard that he will be recharging on a decision so he doubted it was any of them.

Maybe Alpha Trion or Artemis?

By habit by now, he bid whoever was in, returning to studying the notes about the meteor field he will be flying into sometime tomorrow. When he heard the door open and heavy pedesteps, Optimus looked up and was surprised to see the Decepticon Lord himself, looking nervous in front of a small Autobot like a guilty newspark. He hesitated at the middle of the room before coming closer to Optimus's desk and just standing there. Without really thinking about it, the Prime gestured for the bigger mech to sit down and Megatron did so, despite it being quite uncomfortable as the seat was far too small. Seeing this, Optimus put down the datapad and walked over to the Decepticon, taking hold of his silver forearm and dragging him over to the berth and seating him there before sitting across him cross-legged.

''What can I do for you, Megatron? And mind telling me why this couldn't wait till morning?'' The Prime crossed his servos over his chassis at this and Megatron looked away for a brief moment before looking back at his secret love.

''I wanted to clear the air between us, if you do not mind.''

His answer was a confused expression on that lovely blue face. Megatron sighed and got ready to do something he could not remember doing more than once or twice in his entire function - apologizing.

''When we first met and ever since then up to now, we have been enemies, Optimus Prime, as I am sure you know and have noticed.'' The confusion, and any other emotion for that matter, vanished from the Prime's faceplate as he nodded solemnly. ''When we first worked together, we both knew it was only temporary and to stop Starscream. We both had our reasons and although we were watching each other's back, as soon as the threat were to go away, we would go back to fighting each other.''

''That doesn't excuse you using me as a _shield_ while we were still _acting_ as allies.'' He said with a scowl.

''You're right. It doesn't.'' Optimus's jaw dropped open and Megatron felt some relief that he wasn't going to close himself off. This was already hard enough, since he didn't really know _how_ to apologize, he didn't need Optimus to keep up a cold, untouchable front to make it even more difficult. ''I made a mistake back then, thinking that although you were a decent fighter, you were just another one of millions upon millions of Autobots both on Cybertron and in the Universe. And although you defeated me twice before that already... Well, Optimus Prime, I'm a very stubborn mech. Just ask Strika, she'd tell you that I've made a sport of being so. I didn't want to acknowledge you as a worthy opponent because I knew what was coming next.''

''What do you mean?''

''Didn't Slipstream already tell you how Decepticons, or, well, warframes, really, fall in love?''

Optimus blushed. Was Megatron saying what he thought the warlord to be saying? ''A little?''

Megatron snorted. ''Don't try to lie to a Deceptcon, Optimus Prime-''

''Optimus is just fine.''

''Optimus then.'' The Decepticon said with a nod, pleased that they were making some progress, even if it was minimal. ''And I know that Slipstream did indeed tell you, since she told me so herself.'' He ignored the muttered 'I'm going to kill her,' as easily as he did Lugnut's long speeches about his greatness. That mech needs a hobby. ''Anyway, we warframes want mates that can watch our back in a battle and can train with us. You've already proven that you can indeed be a reliable companion in a fight as well as that you are very smart and skilled in more things, something that I very much like in my partners, be they casual or more serious affairs. I have already fought you enough times to know that you are a worthy rival in battle as well and I would have to be blind to not see how beautiful you are, Optimus. Add to all those traits that you are kind and caring, that you can give others hope and want to give everyone a chance... I believe that anyone who didn't find you at least likable should have his processor checked. They clearly have some malfunction.''

The younger mech was already as red as his armor from all the praise. This had to be a dream. He hoped Alpha was recording this, because he very much doubted he will believe this to be a reality when he wakes up tomorrow morning.

''I'm getting off track, here. Anyway, the point is... I am sorry for treating you the way I have back then... and every other time, too. I've had to force myself not to remember your name because I knew I'd end up falling in love with you and I wouldn't want to fight you then and I couldn't afford that. I knew you would never join the Decepticons and it would be an insult to you if I tried to convince you.''

''You're in love with me?'' Optimus used the first opportunity when the larger bot took a breath to ask this, because he had to know. It could just end up that he was jumping to conclusions so he had to make sure. His spark was already beating so fast and loud he wondered if the Decepticon could hear it from where he was sitting.

Megatron blinked and realized what he had unwittingly said. ''Uhhh.'' He almost kicked himself at the reply. Just how stupid will he look in front of his intended just because he made one stupid, stupid mistake? Forcing himself to collect himself and not act like a sparkling with their first crush ever, Megatron cleared his intake and absentmindedly rubbed the back of his helm for a second before realizing what he was doing. He put his servo down and glared at the berth before him, not seeing Otimus smiling a little and trying to stifle giggles at the cute sight the usually calm and collected, fearsome warlord made right now. It would seem that the rumors of warframes's heightened senses were true because Megatron suddenly glared petulantly at the Prime and crossed his servos. ''Yes, laugh it up, Autobot! Here I am, actually trying to apologize, something I don't remember the last time I did, and you're mocking me!''

The red and blue Autobot couldn't hold it in any longer and broke out into a giggling fit, still trying to stop. It turned to laughter when the silver, black and red Decepticon blushed despite his best efforts to stop it. The Autobot was just too cute like this.

''I-I'm s-sorry.'' The Prime managed after a few minutes when the warlord decided that he was making a fool of himself and had gotten ready to get up and leave, but the little Prime had put his servo on his wrist to stop him. Megatron looked back at the smiling mech still sitting on the berth and his spark sped up. ''I didn't mean to make fun of you. You just looked so cure right now, I couldn't stop myself.'' He said as he tugged at Megatron's servo, trying to get him to sit down again.

''Decepticons are not cute, Prime.''

Optimus smirked at the grumbled reply. ''I've lived with Slipstream, the Jettwins, who are technically part Decepticon, and Alpha Supreme. Decepticons are warframes and I've seen plenty warframes acting cute, so Decepticons are also cute by default.''

Megatron just humphed, earning a chuckle from Optimus. With one last gentle tug, the bigger mech gave in and sat back beside the pretty Autobot, who only smiled gently at the action. ''You have yet to answer my question.'' He prompted, wanting to know.

Seeing that the Autobot wanted to see him a bit more embarrassed and acting ''cute'', the Decepticon leader decided to teas him as well. ''And you have yet to fulfill your end of the deal you have made with your old Amica Endura, Blackarachnia.'' The smug smirk he had plastered on his faceplates only extended into a fanged, satisfied grin when the other blenched and flushed red all over again.

''She and Slipstream are going to be the death of me!'' He moaned into his servos, turning away from his long time crush. But the Decepticon wasn't giving up and so he grabbed a red shoulder strut and turned his intended back to face him. Seeing as the larger mech was a lot stronger than him, Optimus had no choice but to comply with a startled yelp, almost falling over the silver mech's lap in the process of trying to righten himself.

''You are not answering, little Autobot.''

Optimus glared through his blush at the gray faceplate. ''I asked you first.'' He smugly replied, whipping the smirk right off the warlord's lip plates.

Red optics narrowed. Well, if that was how the Autobot was going to play it, Megatron had no problem with that. ''Very well, Optimus. I will answer first.'' The Decepticon took a deep but subtle intake and prepared himself. He knew he shouldn't feel nervous, after all Blackarachnia had said that Optimus had a crush on him, but what if it was only a crush? And what if it had faded since the last time the spider femme had talked civilly with Optimus? Megatron scolded himself for acting like such a coward. If his soldiers were to see him now, they would never respect him again. And Primus forbid _Megazarak_ ever found out how he was acting! His twin would _never_ let him live it down! Looking straight into those beautiful, royal blue optics, Megatron opened his intake and finally confessed. ''Yes, Optimus Prime, I am in love with you. Have been for a long time but I had only acknowledge it when you had beat me with the Magnus Hammer and your jetpack. You're the only reason I even embarked on this journey and I could not hope to explain the relief I had felt when I had laid optics on you again. There, now you know.''

There was silence for a long moment and Megatron actually began to doubt the wisdom of confessing when he had only come to clear up the misunderstanding. Suddenly, the warlord felt gentle servos take hold of his helm and he turned to look at his companion only to freeze as soft lip plates touched his cheek. His optics turned to dinner plates and his intake hung open in unspeakable surprise at the light touch that sent an inferno through his circuits unlike anything else had been able to his whole function.

It lasted a few seconds but to Megatron it had felt like a small eternity of such innocent bliss. And then it ended too soon as the little Prime pulled away and smiled up at the Decepticon. ''There. I kissed my secret love, so Elite can go and get scrapped for breaking our deal.''

Megatron released a startled laugh a that before drawing the smaller mech closer to him by the waist, causing Optimus to squeak in surprise. He was then pressed against a hard, powerful chassis and he blushed when one black hand caressed one of his audio finials. He forced himself not to release a moan at that, since they were very sensitive, and he looked up shyly at the larger mech, who was smirking at him.

''Now, now, Optimus.'' He said in a mock chiding tone, drawing his face closer to the Prime's. He smirked as the younger mech shivered at how the Decepticon's voice vibrated through both their chassis. Oh, this was going to be so much fun, especially as his little intended had just admitted to being in the same boat as him. ''That was no kiss. _This_ is a kiss.''

And with that, the gray mech leaned in and claimed those pretty lips for his own for the first time. Optimus made a noise of surprise before melting into the kiss. It was chaste, for now, and both were just enjoying the contact. Then Megatron started moving his intake over those soft lip components and his companion moaned at the new sensation, having never felt anything like it before.

Optimus Prime wasn't the type of both who liked to indulge in bodily pleasure in one night stands or casual interface buddies like many a young Autobots , he wanted it to mean something and while he wasn't the type to fanatically believe that you shouldn't interface with anyone but your future bonded, he also didn't jump into just anyone's berth. He had a problem with that in the Academy, when everyone was paying attention to his group because of him and Elita One, she the perfect femme of any mech's dreams while Optimus appealed to both mechs and femmes. Sentinel and Elita often had to chase away really stubborn suitors who camped out in front of the red and blue bot's room and while Sentinel thought it annoying as Pit, Elita found it amusing. She never minded that Optimus got more attention than her, happy her Amica Endura might find love... That is until the night Optimus let it spill that he liked a certain big, bad Decepticon. Ever since then, Elita started minding everyone's attention on Optimus, because she now knew they were only bothering him. Sentinel and Optimus often had to drag her off of one poor slagger or the other that stepped over some line she had drawn in her friend's stead. And that's not even mentioning that one time she had told Alpha Trion about one particularly rude mech that had groped Optimus a few moments ago, in front of the Archives. Needless to say, someone had run off screaming a few kliks later, begging for their life while the old mech chased them down the streets of Iacon.

All of this combined formed one Optimus Prime who didn't want to interface until he found someone he could have a real relationship with. And seeing as how the one mech he would have been happy with was out of the question for a loyal little Autobot, Optimus had all but given up on it all and instead focused on his military career. But now that he was independent from the Elite Guard and the Autobot Commonwealth altogether, he could have this mech that was kissing him so sweetly.

Speaking of which...

Megatron flicked his glossa over the younger mech's lips and this caused Optimus to gasp. Taking the opportunity, the warlord pushed his glossa in, mapping out every inch of Optimus's oral cavity, making the red and blue bot shiver and moan. Megatron was greatly enjoying this, kissing his intended and getting out of him all these sweet little sounds that were slowly driving him crazy. He groaned when, having become more confident during their slowly heating kiss, Optimus took his glossa between his dermas and sucked on the soft metal muscle. Seeing that his companion was enjoying the action, the Prime tried something else and pushed his own glossa into Megatron's intake, surprising the Decepticon.

They stared into each other's optics for a second before both accepted the challenge and a small battle for dominance started, their glossas dancing together, twisting and turning, mapping each other's mouths so no part was left unexplored. However, despite Optimus's zeal to learn and his determination to match his bigger companion, Megatron was not only bigger and older, but also more experienced. Doing a little trick that had driven all his past lovers insane, Megatron won their little battle and with a small whimper of esticy and pleasure, Optimus let him back in.

Megatron soon pushed his smaller intended onto the big berth and leaned over him, never braking their kiss, and started trailing his servos over his chest plates and shoulders. Optimus moaned again before linking his arms around the broad neck and drawing the Decepticon closer. He then leaned up a bit off of the berth and reached behind the warlord, massaging his back. It caused the Con to growl and leave the blue lips only to trail kisses down a silver neck, causing Optimus to squirm.

Realizing that things were going a bit too fast and that in his haze, if it continued, he wouldn't do anything to stop it later, Optimus pushed weakly, halfheartedly at the big chest in front of him. It took two tried before Megatron got the message and leaned back up, giving Optimus space to breath. Which he very much needed, thank you. He never knew he could feel like this, and it was only from kissing! Just imagining what the Decepticon could do to him if he let him continue had Optimus heating all over again. His cooling fans were already having a hard time getting his circuitry back under control and Optimus had to deny twelve requests of his interface protocols from activating and revealing his valve.

And from the way Megatron was looking at him, it would seem that the warlord was having the same issues. The thing he saw in those red optics promised that. if given a chance, the bigger mech would have devoured him whole. And that more than thrilled Optimus.

''Is something wrong?'' Megatron asked over the sound of his own bigger and louder cooling fans attempting to repel the heat their little make out session had caused.

''I... I just think that we're moving a bit too fast. Could we- Could we take it slow, for a bit? Besides, I'm not explaining interfacing to Alpha in the morning.''

Megatron smiled at the shy question, softening his expression and optics in affection which left Optimus breathless all over again. Primus, he was even more handsome when he smiled such a gentle smile! ''You should know that I don't usually do things slow. But I don't want to rush this, either. This, what we seem to have... This is different.''

Optimus nodded and smiled back the same smile, causing the Decepticon Lord's spark to stop and then start up three times as fast as it had been swirling before. He then sighed and got up off the berth, leaving a confused Autobot to watch him as he straightened up to his full height. ''Well, if we;re going slow, I better go. It's really late and we have a risky flight tomorrow.''

Realizing just how late it was and why the other mech was leaving, Optimus blushed and sooted over to make space for the larger bot. ''I don't mind if we... recharge next to each other.''

Blinking at the other before realizing just what was being offered, Megatron grinned and got onto the berth, next to his little Prime. He scooped him up, causing the younger to yelp as he was once again drawn to that gray chest He felt more than heard the deep chuckle and he blushed at how nice it felt. ''So skittish, Optimus.'' The teasing cost him a light punch but the Decepticon didn't care. He just laughed a little more before placing a tender kiss on Optimus's crest on his forehead, causing a small happy smile to appear. Optimus snuggled even closer and rested his forehelm right over the strong beating spark and soon fell into recharge, his new soon to be lover watching over him for a few more breems before following him into the best recharge either ever had.

00000

The next morning, everyone who hadn't been fully awake to that point was woken up by the shrieks coming from the Axalon's recreation room.

Quickly waking up, lowering whatever they were doing and powering up their weapons, everyone rushed into said room, expecting to see all sorts of horrors, from Decepticons deciding to turn on them now or the Quintesson going on a killing spree (no one felt truly comfortable around poor Artemis, other than Alpha Trion and the shipformers), only to see something even more bizarre.

The shrieks were not of agony or fright, but of laughter, and the victim was not being attacked by weapons or tentacles, but rather the dexter-like agility of clever fingers tickling the living daylights out of one Blackarachnia, who was trying to squirm away from the blue digits of Optimus Prime. They were rolling around the room like newsparks playing with each other, only Optimus always ended up on top, torturing the spiderformer. Said femme could only laugh helplessly as she tried to dislodge him or protect her sensitive spots, but Optimus wasn't her Amica Endura for nothing and knew her better than anyone else.

And he was giving no mercy for this great offense she had committed.

''I'm-I'm s-so-sorry!'' The purple, black and gold femme cried, still laughing like mad, tears of coolant dropping from all four optics.

Optimus tutted. ''You know our rules, Elita. We made a deal and you broke it, so now I have to punish you with a tickling session! We agreed on it when we were younglings and we always stuck by it and now is no exception!''

''Y-Y-you broke the d-de-deal f-first!'' She tried to use her two spider legs attached to her shoulder plating, but Optimus was and still is the best fighter the Autobots ever had, meaning she was no match for him, no matter how many limbs she used, he would just dodge them without letting her go.

''How was I supposed to do anything when he was going to kill both me and my team without hesitation?''

It was at this point that everyone who had rushed in noticed that Alpha Trion, Megatron, Bumblebee and Jetfire had been in the room to witness this commotion start. Said mechs all walked over to the newly arrived group and the youngsters explained how Optimus had just run into the room, tackling the still sleepy femme and started mercilessly tickling her. Alpha Trion and Sentinel just sighed exasperatedly while both were actually quite happy that Optimus was no longer feeling guilty and Elita One, now Blackarachnia, was laughing like a child again.

''The de-deal was a deAL!'' She roared the last syllable as Optimus picked up the pace, leaving his Amica Endura a panting mess since she could no longer breath enough air in to laugh properly.

''Yes, and you broke it by telling~!'' Optimus sing-songed.

''Okay, okay! I'm so-sorry!'' Blackarachnia gave in, obviously having had enough.

''Hm.'' Optimus pretended to think. ''It depends on why you did it?'' He never stopped tickling her, making everyone wonder just how often they used to do this that he was this practiced. As if reading their thoughts, Alpha Trion, Sentinel and Roller all said one thing.

''Don't ask.''

Above mentioned mechs all looked at each other strangely before looking away.

''I-I w-wanted t-to help y-you!'' The femme gasped out. ''Y-you were p-pinning too lo-long!''

Optimus tickled her for a few more kliks then sighed in fond exasperation before letting up. ''Typical Elita. I thought I told you that it wasn't safe to play matchmker.'' He offered her a servo to help her up, but she was still gasping for air so Sentinel walked over and they helped her to her pedes like the used to do as cadets. ''Didn't you learn your lesson the _last_ time?''

All three friends stopped, thought about what happened the last time and promptly shivered.

''Okay, I see your point.''

''What was that about?'' Bumblebee asked after everyone calmed down and Blackarachnia regained her footing.

Sentinel waved it off. ''Oh just Elita finding out about Optimus's big time crush on some mystery bot and them making one of their legendary scary deals. I have no idea what the deal itself was, but that was the punishment if the deal is broken.''

''Reminz me to never gets on yor bad side.'' Blitzwing was the first to comment and a few from the Elite Guard nodded.

''So, playing matchmaker, huh?'' Slipstream asked as she walked over, a gleeful look in her optics.

''Oh yeah.'' The shorter femme answered, seeing the look and returning it as she recognized a partner in her little plots.

''I have a feeling we might just become good friends.'' The seeker femme said and extended her servo to the spider.

''Slipstream, this is the start of a beautiful partnership!''

Both Optimus and Sentinel shivered in fright.

 **Please R &R!**


	26. Chapter 26

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth,a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

''Okay, so Megatron and I will fly into the meteor field but we need you to guide us through it with the help of the ships's scanners.'' Optimus said as he and his new lover went over their check list before they leave. ''In any other circumstances, I would encourage that the Omega Sentinels blast us a way through, but that might damage whatever it is we're going to retrieve. Never the less, make sure you are on high alert. Quintesson's are known to travel through here when on patrol in order to get back to New Quintessa faster, so keep your optics open, your intakes shut,'' He looked at Bumblebee, Sentine, Hot Shot, Brawn, Lugnut and Blitzwing all individually, causing them to cringe under his gaze and Ratchet grinned at how such a small mech can cow even a mechanism as large as Lugnut with only one look. Kid's still got it! ''And your audials on high alert. The comms are to be open but radio silence is recommended unless you have directions or something to report.''

''Anyone who doesn't abide by these rules will be slowly and painfully deactivated by me personally.'' The warlord's threat sealed the deal and everyone showed the universal sign of zipping it shut and keeping it quiet. That satisfied the warlord and he went over to stand by his new lover, checking out the jetpack that was now able to fold into Optimus's back completely unless he drew it out.

It was quite a reaction that they get when Megatron had picked up Optimus's servo and placed a small kiss on his knuckle joints absentmindedly during their morning refueling session in the biggest ''dining room'' they had, meaning on Alpha Supreme. It left half of the room stupefied, one quarter anger and other last part was either indifferent or cheering them on. Optimus had blushed slightly at the attention while Megatron just proudly puffed out his chest and wrapped an arm around his little Prime, getting them a few hoots. And when he drew the smaller mech into a passionate but short kiss...

Alpha Trion nearly took his helm off, had it not been for Optimus trying to calm the old bot down.

The old bot had been glaring at the tyrant ever since.

The others had been curious and excited. They had at first asked normal questions of how they hooked up and when they realized they had a thing for each other and weather that thing in the recreation room had anything to do with them. And they answered those questions without problem. Then came the questions from those who disapproved, meaning the youngsters from the Elite Guard, excluding Hot Rod and First Aid, Sentinel being the loudest of them all until Blackarachnia cleared her throat and reset her vocalizer, her left foot tapping while the rest of her wight was resting on the right pede. The bi-chinned Prime just gulped and backed off wisely. And after those questions were dealt with, there came the questions from the Cons... which turned into a perv contest with Optimus and the rest of the Autotobts (with a few exceptions that did not want to stick out by being mentioned) red in the faces. Optimus had never before been so thankful to Ultra Magnus as he was now for stopping that insanity.

After the dust settled over that matter, they had immediately gotten down to business. Which was how they found out Optimus's jetpack can fold in completely due to the energies he had been exposed to when reviving Sigma. They quickly scanned the area when they arrived to their destination and the new couple started getting ready for the final phase of Optimus's quest. Then, they can go to Cybertron and save it from the squids and maybe, just maybe, unite their factions into one people again.

After having read all of Primal Major's logs and having seen where Optimus would be heading exactly, Alpha Trion had quite a good idea of what Optimus will find and it made him both anxious and excited. Anxious because his young charge will return bearing a burden he will never be able to share with anyone and excited because he will be returning as who he had always been meant to be. Cybertron was now on the verge of entering a new age and it will start today. However, he also feared how Optimus will take the burden placed on his young shoulders once he realizes just what has been going on since the beginning of time. He won't reject it, but maybe he will get too stressed over it and that wouldn't be good. He needs to accept it fully or it really will just be burden and not an honor it should be.

Realizing this might be the last time he will see those optics so bright and somewhat carefree, Alpha Trion walked over to Optimus and waited until Megatron got the hint and left them alone for a moment. They just stared at each other for a few kliks before Optimus stepped forward and his almost mentor drew him into a hug. It was hard, letting go of this innocent mech he had helped raise and allowing him to take all of that responsibility, but he was born for it. Literally.

''You've made me so proud, my boy.'' He whispered into his left audial so much like his own but different.

''I tried.'' The other answered just as softly, enjoying these rare embraces. He used to get them all the time when he was a sparkling but they had somewhat receded after he joined the Academy. He knew that the old mech didn't approve of his choice but Optimus needed somewhere to went the abnormal amounts of energy he got from ordinary energon. Combat had proven the best choice and he had taken his training seriously, despite his body already somehow knowing some of the moves on its own.

''Just be careful out there. I do not want to lose you.'' The Archivist said as he let him go finally, stroking the crest they also shared in a fond, familiar manner. He had used to do it all the time while he had looked after the newspark that had crawled out of the Well on its own, not believing the beautiful, precious miracle he had held in his old servos.

''I will.'' With that, the old mech turned and walked away, stopping for only a second to tell Megatron to ''look after him'' before rejoining the ranks of worried friends and soldiers. The Decepticon leader came up next to his smaller mate-to-be and took his blue servo in his own black, bigger one.

''Are you ready?''

Optimus looked over all his friends and drew strength from them. This was going to be as much for them as it had been from Primal Major. Whatever he comes back with, it's going to shape their future and decide their fates. Whatever it is that Primal Major believed only Optimus could go and get is going to restore piece between warframes and civilianframes once and for all, uniting them into one people.

Optimus nodded.

Meagtron suddenly grinned gleeful. ''Then shall we fly and break down anything that stand in our way?''

Optimus smirked as well and narrowed his blue optics slightly. ''Oh yes. Till All Are One.''

00000

::Twenty mechanometers ahead of you two giant boulders should collide so I suggest flying higher as you have a lot of smaller rocks underneath you.:: Blurr navigated them from the bridge of Alpha Supreme.

::Roger that, Blurr.:: Optimus answered back as they changed course, avoiding a fatal mistake. He and Megatron easily maneuvered around each other and the asteroids, flying as if they had flown together their whole functions. Megatron fired his cannon often, Optimus firing his own smaller cannons from time to time, destroying all approaching rocks.

::According to the map, you are soon to separate, my lord.:: Shockwave informed them, having been stationed with Blurr because they worked best with each other. Cliffjumper might have gotten used to the Decepticon spy but it was Blurr who knew him a lot better and they had been such great a team that Longarm Prime was the quickest bot to climb the ranks so to become a Council member and the head of Cybertronian Intelligence. ::If you continue with your current speed, you'll reach the inner ring of the field, from where Optimus Prime is supposed to continue on his own and you are to watch out for both rocks and squids.::

::ETA?::

::About 34.5 kliks, my lord.::

::You better be careful out there, Optimus, or we're coming for you. And if we _do_ , be sure that we _will_ help Alpha Trion lock you up in Fortress Maximus and _never_ letting you out of there.:: Blurr told his commander, knowing that the rest of the crew really will help the old Archivist do it. They've all had enough of the young Prime endangering himself. Megatron might opposed them on the grounds that he would not be allowed to see Optimus, but he could deal with it, Blurr was sure.

Optimus rolled his optics as he crushed a smaller rock with his axe. ::You tell Alpha Trion that I will escape. I have a ship to mentor!::

::I don't want you getting hurt, Optimus.:: Alpha said solemnly, causing Optimus's jaw to drop behind his battle mask.

::Is this mutiny!?::

That got him the wanted response of his crew laughing over their shared frequency, making Optimus smile. Good, they needed to relax a bit. They were probably driving the others up the wall with their worry and the rest of their guests were all rather short on temper as it was. They definitely didn't need and more tension.

::Ten kliks, my lord.:: That wiped away all smiles and quited any remaining snickers. Shockwave didn't like it that he was the one that rid Blurr of his smile, but if he didn't warn them, they could get injured. ::Five kliks.::

And they got there in the estimated time, avoiding a few more rocks that were getting in the way. Optimus turned to his lover and Megatron looked a the smaller mech. He looked so different in comparison to when he had first laid optics on this Autobot. Back then he was a desperate mech trying to keep the Allspark out of his servos and ready to die trying. Now, he was a flier, a true commander, a captain and mentor of an Omega Sentinel, independent of both factions on the basis that he wanted to make a change, because he wanted a worthy Cybertron. This beautiful mech had become a demi-god as far as Megatron was concerned. And the old warlord still coulnd't quite wrap his CPU around the idea that this wonderful bot loved him.

Megatron drew the Autobot into his arms and just held him for a few moments, wondering if the Prime will make it back, either victorious or disappointed, it didn't quite matter to Megatron. He just wanted for the other to come back. Now that he knew he could have him, he didn't want to let go. ::Make sure you come back safe.::

Optimus retracted his battle mask and nuzzled into the big gray chest before flying a little higher to place a kiss on Megatron's lips. The tyrant was quick to deepen it and wrestled his glossa into the red and blue mech's intake, remembering his taste, before letting go reluctantly. Optimus smiled at his bigger lover and caressed his faceplate gently before drawing out of the tender but strong embrace, then turned around.

::Artemis, if I don't return for some reason, take Alpha Trion with you and leave on Alpha Supreme with our crew. Hid them all somewhere and make sure they have somewhat peaceful functions but give them as much freedom you can while keeping them safe. If you can, later on contact Ratchet and Omega Supreme and ask them to join you wherever you find it peaceful and watch over them all. That's the only thing I ask of you. Promise me you'll do it.::

::My Lord Optimus! Please don't do this with such thoughts running through your processor!:: His SIC pleaded, almost drowned out by the protests from Blurr, Slipstream, Roller and the Jettwins over their private crew comms. Optimus sighed, still only making minimal progress while levitating and scanning the way he will have to go.

::It's a reasonable possibility. Primal Major didn't want Alpha Supreme to see war and I don't want that either. For any of you, despite you all getting some glimpses of it. Promise me, Artemis.::

::But my Lord Optimus!::

:: _Promise_ me, Artemis. Please.:: He pleaded with the Quintesson, not wanting to go before getting the promise. His scans have showed that as soon as he enters the central ring of this asteroid field, his communication systems will go down and his spark signature will be all but lost. He'll be lost to Megatron's sensors a few breems later because he is so close and then the warlord will lose sight of him completely. The panicking will start when he doesn't answer on his comms and then he'll be given an hour according to protocol. And if he doesn't make it back in that hour, Artemis _must_ take his crew and his team, if possible, away from the Elite Guard and the Decepticons, who might turn hostile with the way he _knows_ the Guard will act. ::Promise me.::

There was a short stretch of silence on the comms, no one daring to speak up should they miss the Second in Command's answer. And then the Quintesson responded. ::I promise, my Lord Optimus.::

Optimus smiled and snapped his battle mask in place, powered up his boosters on his jetpack to the maximum and entered the ring before he could hear his crew's protests. In just a few seconds, his com line fizzled and crackled before it completely faded out and only the silence of space surrounded him.

00000

Meanwhile, on the Axalon, where everyone had gathered once more to observe the mission from the extremely heightened sensors Primal Major had upgraded the Omega Sentinel with, Prowl felt suspicion creep into his spark.

''Is something the matter, my student?''

The black and gold, visored ninja bot turned to his master and, ultimately savior from his youth, and noticed that Yoketron was indeed very worried. He had spent quite a bit of time with his present students on this journey, but this was the first time he tried talking alone with Prowl. The gold and white older bot must have been really concerned if he took this chance to talk with him.

''I am not sure. Something does not add up here."

A frown appeared on Yoketron's wise face. ''What do you mean? What does not add up, Prowl?''

Said bot tilted his hem in the direction of Alpha Trion, who was staring into space where Optimus and Megatron should be now. The ancient mech hadn't left that window and hadn't spoken a word since he told Megatron to look after Optimus, despite Strika trying to talk with him or Blitzwing trying to get a reaction out of him. It was as if he wasn't even aware of where he was, only that the space in front of him was very important. For that old mech right now, they didn't exist. And Prowl didn't understand this sort of attitude change. ''Ever since we left Cybertron, Alpha Trion had been swearing that he would tie Optimus up and lock him up somewhere from where Optimus can't escape from to keep him out of danger. And yet he had helped convince us to let Optimus go into this dangerous asteroid field with only Megatron, who had tried to kill him multiple times and was the Lord of all Decepticons, as backup and protection. It does not add up.''

''Megatron had been expressing affection towards Optimus Prime and had only embarked on this journey to find him in the first place. Something tells me that your friend has nothing to fear from that mech other than being smothering in affection and love. Have you not seen them this morning?'' Yoketron pointed out as he copied his student's stance of slightly spread legs and crossed servos over his chestplates.

''It is not Megatron that is puzzling me, although I won't claim to understand him either, but Alpha Trion has been keeping mysteries and secrets from us all ever since we have met him. Blackarachnia and Sentinel said that he has always been like that, he can cow Decepticons into shutting up, Strika owes him because of something, Shockwave couldn't hack into any files that were under his jurisdiction, Ultra Magnus listens to him even though he obviously doesn't like it but does so anyway because Alpha Trion can apparently take away his title and rank and Artemis calls him, and Optimus, lord despite saying he is only loyal to Quintus Prime. Just how are Alpha Trion's servos dipped into so many strange situations? I know he is old, but what are the odds? And I know he helped raise Optimus, but he acts as if the Universe will end if something happens to him.''

''For the rest, I don't know the answer to, but for Optimus, I do have a theory.''

Prolw raised and optic ridge at him. ''Do tell.''

''Optimus is around your age, is he not?'' Prowl nodded and his teacher exvented a sigh. ''Well, you should know that there is no record of Optimus ever getting a protoform from our dojo. In fact, his protoform type and model don't exist in our records! Optimus just... appeared.''

''That's impossible! Or maybe he was born?''

''I wouldn't think so. It is very rare for a born mech or femme, warframe or civilianframe, to have only a spike or only a valve. With them, it comes as a package.'' Yoketron shrugged. ''Besides, the last born mech was a flying civilianframe by the name Skyfire.''

''Then how was Optimus sparked? Or born?'' Prowl asked, perplexed.

''I wouldn't know that, but I believe he might.'' He indicated to Alpha Trion, who had yet to move. ''However, regarding why he is so protective of Optimus and acts so strange when something concerning him is brought up, my guess is because this isn't Optimus's first life.''

''What do you mean?''

''Have you ever heard of a brother or sister offlining and leaving their sparkbroken spark twin behind? Or a bond mate and the other one surviving the spark burnout from the death of their mate?'' Prowl hesitantly nodded. He had heard, but he had never believed in such stories. The ones depicting the return from the Well of Allsparks to live a second life. He had believed rebirth impossible... But was he not revived? ''And have your heard of mechs and femmes claiming complete strangers for brothers and sisters, Amica Enduras or a Conjunx Endura? You have, good. Well, they are true. A spark can return from the Well if the one they left behind is breaking apart without them so they are given a second chance... Or they still have unfinished business. A single spark can have thousands of lives until it fulfills what it had been put on this world for in the first place.''

''And you think this might be the case with Optimus?''

Yoketron nodded solemnly. ''There is definitely a familial relation between those two. You have to look for it, but it is there. And Alpha Trion looks most at ease when Optimus Prime is in his field of sight. It is only a guess...''

''But it could be true.'' Prowl concluded and paused to think about it. It could definitely explain quite a few things, but there were still holes that have to be filled. If Optimus had lived a life before this one, what had he been brought back for? Was it for Trion? Or was it for this mission Primal Major had been searching a worthy mech to accomplish. Prowl somehow got the feeling that it was actually both.

There was silence between them for a few minutes and only idle chatter was heard on the bridge until Blurr started hitting various buttons on his counsel at incredible speeds, speaking even faster than his digits were moving, both begging Primus that something wasn't happening while also calling out to Optimus. The crew of Alpha Supreme was also starting to panic and Shockwave was trying to calm Blurr down.

Alpha Trion just closed his optics and leaned his forehelm on the glass as Blurr announces that they had lost contact with Optimus.

00000

Optimus knew that his friends and Megatron must have started panicking by now, but he couldn't focus on that, because if he did...

He would turn back.

So instead, Optimus looked on ahead and concentrated on the many asteroids moving beside and around him, avoiding them, firing his cannons every now and then, maneuvering between, above and below the hurtling rocks as expertly as he had practiced with Jetfire, Jetstrom and Slipstream. He focused on the wild beating of his spark, the rush of energon through his fuel lines, the power of the Allspark fragment he still had with him as it reacted to his excitement at such a flight...

And he focused on the mission.

The mission Primal Major had given him and had spent his offlining breaths informing him about it.

Optimus would not fail his fallen friend!

He was fast approaching his goal and Optimus could not help but think what a strange place this was. No signal could get out of this ring, the rocks acted as a physical shield and the center couldn't be seen without extremely strong sensors. It was as if this meteor field was almost built to protect something. Something that was powerful enough to stop a four million years long war that seemed to not have an end in sight.

Unbidden, stories Alpha Trion used to read him as a sparling reared their heads out of Optimus's memory files he had not visited for many centuries. Of places and artifacts the Primes of Old made, constructing them for specific functions in the Universe, such as are the stars, that heat planets and their atmospheres and give light to anyone who lived on them. Or special chemicals that made up various atmospheres of other planets that enables them to grow foods or get water if they required it. Or energy, gravity and magnetic fields, that gave laws of physics and astrophysics, allowing them to make things others would have thought impossible or travel in ways no one would have been able to imagine otherwise. And what about the various minerals that floated in space, creating new planets and suns or acting as counter gravity bodies so special occurrences happened...

So much was given to the Universe by the Primes and no one even cared anymore. Not even the people that they had created and groomed into what they had been during the Golden Age. Instead, they replaced their stories of peace and creation with stories of battles and wars and bloodshed... Conquering was never meant to be something Primus's people were supposed to indulge in. Primus was peaceful and even Unicron, who had wanted the destruction of everything but himself and his twin, had decided to throw away the anger and the lust for destruction, instead splitting in six parts and becomin-

Optimus nearly hit a meteor that was whizzing pass him when he realized just what was going through his CPU. He immediately checked his processor for damage or tempering, then made sure he wasn't having a recharge flux while awake, but all scans show that he was in shipshape. Just what had he been thinking?! Where the frag had he gotten that strange story of Unicron splitting?! And in six parts!? He was sure he was missing something now, but he was too distressed with what was happening to try and find out what.

He knew that he hadn't read that somewhere. Like Alpha Trion, Optimus had been unexpectedly been blessed with an archivist's memory core, meaning that he never forgot or had to purge information he gathered during his function, it was only refiled into smaller formats to make more space for new information. He had read half of the Great Archives in Iacon and a fifth of the ones in Tyger Pax when Alpha Trion had taken him there with him one time when the old mech had some business in the city. And he had also now read the whole of Primal Major's captain's logs and a good portion of the library on board Alpha Supreme and he knew every datapad he read, almost word for word, glyph for glyph. He doesn't know where the fictional information of Unicron splitting came from, but he knows for sure that it couldn't be real...

Except, something deep in the young Prime urged him to face the facts that he did, indeed, split into six parts and formed something that helped Cybertron-

''Gah!'' Optimus grunted when an asteroid nearly crushed him because of how unfocused he was.

If he continued like this, he'll get offlined because of stupidity and never finish his quest!

00000

It had already been ten breems since he lost sight of Optimus, and fifteen breems since they all lost contact with him.

Megatron was starting to worry.

He had tried heading deeper into the ring when he lost all visual of his little lovers, but it was Alpha Trion, surprisingly enough, that had commed him and told him to let Optimus go. ''Only he can do this, Megatron.'' He had said. ''You must have faith in him and wait for him there.''

And with a heavy spark, Megatron had grunted and affirmative. He found a nice and big enough space where he could rest and turned off his thrusters, not wanting to needlessly spend more energon than needed. He had enough space to maneuver around if it was needed in order to protect himself from these deadly floating rocks and resigned himself to waiting for his little Autobot. He was a bit unnerved at how Optimus had completely went off radar, but Alpha Trion said it was only due to the structure of the meteors and that Optimus was just fine. Both Alphas confirmed this as they both had a strong spark connection to Optimus and would have felt had he gone offline.

It made Megatron decide to ask Optimus to bond with him as soon as they get back to the ships.

He just hopes his little Prime will be alright to at least consider the idea.

00000

When Optimus was barely more than about twenty mechanometers from the big hunk of rock that acted as the source of the gravity field of the other asteroids, Optimus noticed something strange.

There was a small, well, relatively small, Cybertronian structure on the giant meteor. It gave off a soothing blue light, but Optimus realized it wasn't all that soothing because it was an energy field that was meant to keep intruders out. Its light brightened up the meteor the structure was resting on and as he got closer, the young bot started making out symbols carved into both the rock and the building. He recognized the Ancient Glyphs and started reading them, not believing what met his optics.

Courage.

Valor.

Strength.

Loyalty.

Belief.

Hope.

Wisdom.

Faith.

Patience.

Cunning.

Wit.

Good.

Determination.

Moral.

Miracle.

The fifteen qualities that described the first fifteen creatures in existence: Primus, Unicron and the Thirteen Primes of Old. They all had it in the depths of their beings, despite some of them becoming corrupt, they always found their way in the end. Even Unicron had. These fifteen qualities surrounded the building in a circle just inside the energy field, written in the gold color of Primes. Outside the energy field were written the names of the Thirteen Primes, also going in a circle, each name written in a different color but highlighted with gold and blue like Primus's purest energon and the Allspark.

When Optimus landed, the names and words lit up before his pedes, as if welcoming him into this small sanctuary meant for the Thirteen shapers of the Universe. Now tht he was on the ground and could look up ahead at the building, he saw there were two miniature hills on either side, the same size and shape but different colors. One was silver, white and blue while the other was decorated in the same patters but with gold, black and purple. Two big glyphs were carved and painted in these two hills, the letters looking like the Universe with all of its stars, planets and galaxies. The glyphs read Primus and Unicron.

Optimus could only stare as other phrases came to life the more he walked and looked around. They were now in all colors of the rainbow, presenting history, science, character, art, music, mechanics, psychology and oh so much more! Every subject ever studied, anywhere in the Universe, at any point of time... It was all mention here and Optimus was so enchanted by this place he wondered if he even wanted to leave. The second he had set pede on this asteroid, his energy stopped depleting and instead started growing, his systems were recharging while still active and his CPU had no worries... He could stay here forever and be content...

But he wouldn't be happy.

He can't bring Megatron here, or his team and crew. Alpha would get trashed if he tried to fly in here... He'd have to leave them all out there, outside of this peaceful little rock that floated deep in Quintesson space but didn't belong to anyone. And what would become of them if he never came back? Even if Artemis fulfilled his promise, they would either always remember his as the one who had betrayed them or the one they had lost and would mourn him either way... And Megatron wanted a serious relationship with him and Optimus shared that wish. He wasn't sure how far he was ready to go at this point, but he did want to find out what might be between them.

He couldn't stay here because he was needed out there.

And with that realization, this place suddenly looked lonely.

After he had collected himself and inspected everything outside the energy field, Optimus approached said field and picked up a stray piece of metal and threw it at the blue light. The field crackled with heightened energy that prevented anything from entering and Optimus sighted. Just how was he supposed to get past this? He started pacing and kicking up little pebbles while doing so, deep in thought. He doubted that his cannons were strong enough to blast the field away, since it has obviously been here for a very long time and his ax would have just as little effect, he was sure. Was this why Primal decided to find someone else? Maybe it needed a special energy signature?

Optimus suddenly yelped as his pede fell into a small hole in the ground and he tittered over, falling directly towards the energy field. His energon lines froze and his tanks filled with lead as he realized he was about to get electrocuted. He grit his denta and prepared himself for the shock as the blue light got closer and he closed and offlined his optics, hoping to at least keep them undamaged...

The shock never came, but the impact with the ground was not pleasant either. Grunting as he sat up, Optimus saw that he had easily passed through the shield despite his pedes still being out side it. Okay, he was confused now. The Prime got up to his stabilizers and walked out of the field, only to turn back and reenter again. Nothing happened. He picked up another rock and threw it but the shield repelled it like it had done the first one. Optimus then took a bigger rock and tried to pass through the shield with it in his servos, but the rock crumbled upon contact since it couldn't be showed away.

''Okay, that was weird.'' Optimus muttered to himself and decided not to think about why he could pass as he liked but anything else turned to rubble or was thrown away with a good electric shock. Instead, he turned to look at the structure before him.

It was bigger than he had thought it to be and looked like a mix between old Cybertronian style of building and a stasis escape pod. It was painted a dull gray with traces of brown, though that might have something to do with the amount of time it could have been here. Despite the energy field that protected it, perhaps it didn't stop dust and rust from setting in. It was most definitely undamaged, meaning that the energy field acted as an excellent shield... except in Optimus's case. There were no windows as far as Optimus could see from his place but they might be masked. There was something like stairs leading up to big iron doors that appeared to have an energy signature lcok and Optimus sighed, thinking, once again, that he might have wasted everything and endangered everyone for a futile trick...

''Ah screw it! If I could get through the shield, maybe I can open the lock, too. Or hack at it with my ax if nothing else works.'' He had come this far and he wasn't about to give up now. He didn't notice the symbols all around him glowing even brighter than when he had walked pass them. When his pedes touched the stairs, the ship lit up with all the lights of the rainbow, startling the young mech and he took a step back. The lights show immediately stopped and Optimus ran a hand over his optics before retracting his battle mask. Just what else was going to surprise him on this little floating rock in the middle of nowhere?

When he stepped onto the stairs this time, he was prepared for the lights. However, he wasn't prepared for the structure, no, the vessel! It was a vessel, a flying ship! And it was rising from the ground! It became wider and taller and it was covered in more glyphs of the first generation... and others were even older ones yet Optimus could read them without pause. He looked over various pictures the appeared just before the vessel settled again. They showed the fight of the Primes against Unicron on one side and on the other side of the big door was their birth. And when Optimus looked closely enough, he could see that the red glyphs on the door were depicting the War of the Primes.

Something in Optimus moved when he looked at all of these images, the drawings being replaced by familiar yet unknown faces all smiling at him, blue, orange, yellow, red, pink and greenish optics looking at him with affection, gentle servos guiding him in training and tender voices talking to him. Love and sadness overwhelmed him and Optimus nearly fell to his knees as the emptiness in him turned cold like it never had before. He staggered slightly and had to reach out his hand towards the vessel in order to righten himself up before he fell down and hurt himself.

As soon as the blue servo touched the door, right over the hand scanner, the doors opened and a sense of home and belonging filled Optimus for an oh so brief moment before it vanished. Blue optics looked up into the space that opened before him. There was only one big room, no counsels or control for flying the vessel nor any traces that the thing had ever been meant to transport living beings. The inside of the room lit up as the mech entered, watching in wonder as more images appeared on the walls. From left to right, the Thirteen Primes were displayed proudly in such a lifelike likeliness that Optimus almost reached out for them. He looked into Prima's stern white face, at the gentle expression on Solus's face, the wisdom of Vector and Alpha Trion, the peacefulness of Micronus, the scowl always present in Megatronus, the scary but loving faceplate of Onyx and the playfulness always there in Alchemist and Amalgamous both, the smirk of Liege Maximo that unnerved everyone but the young Prime and his brethren, the dreamy expression on Quintus and the rarely fully relaxed face of Nexus and the various expressions of delight and mischief of his components.

Optimus's spark stopped when he saw the Thirteenth reaching out both servos to the room at large, as if preparing himself for a group hug with his eleven brothers and one sister, embracing the two deities watching over them from the ground, with kind blue optics full of love, and from the ceiling, looking over them with protectiveness. There was light radiating off of him and Optimus could see his open chestplates where he recognized the Allspark like it had been when they had found it, round and whole. His spark froze as he realized that the Thirteen's very _spark_ had crystallized to be able to conserve the power Primus pured into him! He had destroyed a mech's spark!

He felt sick and unworthy and he was getting ready to bold out of here and let the asteroid filed finish him off so he wouldn't have to live with the disgust at what he had done, when blue light from the floor lit up something at each of the Prime's pedes. Leaking optics (when had he started weeping) followed the new light and Optimus saw cases, many of them, all radiating their own light. He counted 21 cases until he looked at the center of the room and found the floor looked like it could open.

Deciding to check that out first, Optimus headed for the opening in the floor that was slowly revealing what it was hiding. A pillar of light and a small gravity field burst from the circular opening, blinding him for a few kliks, When he could look again something was raising up from the hole, making Optimus reset his optics, even powering them up and down two times, not believing what he was seeing. No, he must be experiencing some malfunction! He had to be!

There was no way he was staring at the Matrix of Leadership!

00000

Strika was beside Alpha Trion in a second when the old mech gasped painfully loud half a joor after Optimus Prime had gone off the radar. The femme feared that the Prime had offlined and whatever the connection between the old mech was with his young charge, that the burn out of a dying spark was paining the Archivist. ''MEDIC!''

Ratchet and First Aid were there in a second while Artemis, fearing the worse, slumped down the wall he had been leaning on in despair. ''We're not letting you offline after living so long! You hear me, Trion?!''

The old mech coughed and whizzed a couple of times before whatever had unsettled him passed. ''What the slag are you talking about, Ratchet? I'm fine.''

And indeed he was. Ratchet observed the scanners, not believing his optics. The only thing that seemed abnormal was that his spark had decided to play a tango in his chassis for a few kliks before it settled. It seemed to be beating even stronger than the war medic knew it had been beating the last time he had scanned the old mech in worry that the concern for Optimus would offline the mech with all the stress to his systems. The Archivist had actually been faring the best out of them all, despite his old age and the little amount of recharge he sometime got due to them having to move in order to keep up with Alpha Supreme. ''Then what happened just now!?'' The filed medic demanded, putting the scanners away and checking manually. Better sure than sorry, as the saying goes. Strika held the old bot in place because of his protests before resigning himself to his faith. ''That wasn't normal, yet your systems have no malfunctions.''

Alpha Trion smiled. ''That was the Universe preparing itself to righten itself once more.''

''What sort of shuttlescrap is the senile old mech spouting this time?'' Sentinel sneered at said mech and said mech didn't even honor him with ignoring his existence.

''We're detecting huge amounts of energy coming from the center of the meteor field.'' Blurr informed them when the sensors went off, quickly climbing into the red section and showing that the energy can't be measured. ''It can't be identified but it keeps climbing off the charts!''

''Lord Megtron, be careful! Enormous amounts of energy are being released from the center of the asteroid field, just beyond the inner ring. There might be some shockers coming your way, my liege.''

''Glorious Lord Megatron will not be bested by some rocks and a little shock wave, Shockwave! How dare you doubt his greatness and magnificence!'' Lugnut yelled, enraged that someone underestimated his great and glorious leader.

''Acknowledged, Shockwave.'' Came the reply that shut the big mech up. ''It would seem that Optimus has made it in.'' There was clear relief in his words.

''It would also seem that Primal Major has left him quite a find, as well.'' Ultra Magnus commented, observing Perceptor and Wheeljack as the argued with Starscream of from what the energy could have come from. ''Do you see anything, Megatron.''

''Negative, Magnus. Just these blasted floating rocks!''

''Those 'blasted floating rocks', as you call them, serve that very purpose, Megatron.'' Alpha Trion as he walked over to the communication counsel, Strika and Ratchet refusing to leave his side. ''They are meant to mask anything that goes in there and anything that is hidden there, be it energy or mechs.''

''Then why can we detect this energy?'' Perceptor asked, sounding miffed.

''We are not detecting it with scanners and sensors, but with our sparks. Or have you not noticed?''

''I have, actually.''

''Ya, me zoo.'' The Jettwins and Blitzwing were the first ones to answer, stepping up when everyone looked at them. Icy was in control as he talked to them. ''Iz feelz like I have returned zo Cybertron, but not quite. I can't really explain iz.''

''Same here. Feel like home, but not home.'' Jetfire said and Jetstorm nodded, placing a hand over his spark chamber, everyone doing the same and realizing that they could indeed feel the energy there.

''Alpha Supreme has a spark just like the rest of us, but unlike each other's, we can see his warnings and notices on the screens and you must have mistaken them for the sensors's reports.'' Artemis, having sighed in relief when Alpha Trion explained away what happened and gathered himself, said, his own servo over his weak spark. Blurr concede that it might be so, still looking down at his chestplate and covering his spark with a hand.

''But what was the source of that energy?'' Sari asked, feeling her own little spark sing at the energy. It felt warm.

''Something that will change the fate of all of creation.'' Alpha Trion told them mysteriously, reaching into his subspace and taking out a large book and what looked like a writing quill. He looked at them long and hard before returning them to his subspace and letting out a sigh as he wondered over to his window.

''Something tells me you know just what the little Prime found.'' Strika commented from her place beside Ratchet, both of them still raking their optics over the old mech as if they expected him to keel over. And although he didn't turn towards them nor could they see his expression from where they stood, Strika knew he was smiling.

00000

If he had been overwhelmed before, then Optimus didn't know if there were words to express how he was feeling now as the Matrix happily floated in front of him. The Ancient relic of the Prime twinkled contently at him, as if just waiting for Optimus to pick it up, but the young Autobot didn't dare take another intake, let alone move. Just what had he gotten himself into now!?

When the shock wore off a little, Optimus made to move a step back but as if anticipating this, the Matrix pulsed at the Prime, making him gasp as something familiar begged at his spark. The relic pulsed again, almost knocking him off of his stabilizers and Optimus whimpered as the void in him began to weep in the presence of the blessed item so close. His frame was shaking and Optimus realized it was because while his processor was trying to pin himself unworthy of the item, his body somehow knew that this particular blessing from Primus belonged with him and him alone. His frame was fighting his supposed common sense, which was telling him to back away, turn and run and never return because he was a failure, and it was winning.

The young mech gasped when the Matrix pulsed one more time and his chestplates opened, baring his spark and for the first time since he onlined, Optimus saw that his chassis was created to bare the relic in it. Around his spark, there were latches that would secure the handle-like parts of the Matrix of Leadership so it doesn't accidentally move, his spark chamber opened in a way no other did so it could accommodate the ball like center of the item. The butterfly-like shape of the Matrix started descending from its place of floating in front of him and neared his spark. Optimus could see the crystal that came from Primus's own spark glinting in happiness and anticipation as it was getting ready to settle over his spark. Optimus's own spark sped up, welcoming the relic and as it touched his fram, Optimus felt, for the first time, as if there was no emptiness in him at all and he felt the love of their Creator...

 _''Optimus, Megatronus and Prima are fighting again!'' A familiar voice called him from his reading with Alpha Trion (the same mech who had raised him!) and the youngest prime smiled at Micronus as the first Minicon complained how he couldn't meditate because of the two fighters. ''You need to come and make them stop! You know that only you can get them to stop once they draw their weapons!''_

 _''You better go, young one. We don't need another Rust Sea.''_

 _''Another?'' The red and blue Prime asked, raising an optical ridge at his third eldest brother._

 _Alpha Trion just shook his head. ''Sorry, still can't really sort out what has yet to happen, what is going on and what had happened. The_ _Covenant and all that.''_

 _Optimus felt himself shake his helm as he smiled and started walking away with Micronus towards where his slightly older brother and his eldest brother were trying to beat the scrap out of each other. Again. ''I swear you and Onyx meet up in secret and plot on what teasers you'll drop just to make us uncomfortable.''_

 _''Not denying anything!'' A laugh was heard with the reply and the other two younger Primes laughed along, still feeling so naive and innocent, despite knowing that they'll soon have to fight their Creator's twin and counterpart._

 _::::_

 _''Onyx, get down here right now! ONYX!'' Liege Maximo shouted at the skies, where the eighth born Prime, who was laughing down at him after pulling a successful prank on the rather temperamental silver-tonged green Prime. Unfortunately, at the time Maximo had realized he was punked, Onyx had been giving Optimus a tour around the northern hemisphere of Cybertron, above Solus's forge, so the youngest Prime was stuck riding on his older brother's back in beast mode._

 _It would have been funny, watching Liege Maximo lose all of his composure and cool, but he had already been pranked by both Alchemist and Amalgamous that afternoon and he was not in the mood. Which showed quite well when he took one of his nonpoisonous energy arrows and prepared to fire at the ones who had dared mess with his pet project. ''Come down or I'll take you down!''_

 _Onyx got nervous, not for himself but for Optimus on his back. ''You wouldn't.''_

 _''Watch me!'' And with that, the twelfth Prime fired his arrow, his precision unmatched by any other and hit his brother in the corner of his wing. A warning shot, but it was enough to get the message across. However, it was enough to make the first Predacon rear back in pain as well and that dislodged Optimus. The two older Primes watched in horror as their youngest brother fell from such a height._

 _''OPTIMUS!''_

 _Suddenly another big figure appeared and snatched up the youngest Prime just before he got too close to the ground, but he didn't have the time to regain the skies so he crashed directly into Solus's workshop. The other two quickly ran over to where Nexus had crashed into their only sister's sanctuary and just as they entered the ruins, they heard the most horrifying voice they had ever encountered._

 _''Just_ what _do you think you were doing!?''_

 _''S-Solus, we can explain!'' The three older Primes said instantly, a dazed Optimus being held up by his sister's delicate but strong servos. As always, with any of his siblings, Optimus never got into trouble. Although he wasn't spoiled because of it, but he did kick himself for anything he did that caused his brethren trouble so they ended up having to comfort him instead of scold him._

 _''You have five kliks. Run.''_

 _They didn't need to be told twice and they took off, knowing Solus will be on their afts in seconds, swinging her Forge at them._

 _::::_

 _''Try it out on this material.'' Quintus told Vector as he presented him with a square piece of metal._

 _''You know that everything will eventually fall at the hands of time, right?'' The older of the two asked with a raised optic ridge but indulged his younger brother anyway and waved his servo over the metal. It started aging and soon rust started forming._

 _''I'll change your mind eventually.'' Quintus said confidently as he took another material out and gave it to his older brother to do his time-whimy thing._

 _''I think you can change his mind right now.'' Both Primes turned with affectionate smiles on their faces as the red and blue Prime walked into Quintus's lab before Vector sighed in exasperation when he saw that he, too, was carrying a slab of metal material in his blue servos._

 _''Optimus, not you too!''_

 _Said bot smiled and handed Quintus the material, who looked at it, considering. ''I heard that you two were at it for three days straight so I decided to end your little game so you would get out and refuel and maybe, oh, I don't know. Spend time with your siblings.'' Both of the older Primes cringed at the implications and nodded._

 _''Alright, just this one, okay?'' And when Vector did his thing, the material remained like it had been when the youngest of the Thirteen had brought it in. ''How?''Was all either of them could say as Optimus Prime shrugged._

 _''Part of Primus's own plating. What were you expecting? Only he and Unicron are immune to time.''_

 _They watched as he left before Quintus lowered the slab of metal on his work desk and made to go after him. ''I will never understand him, Vector.''_

 _''None of us ever will, but that doesn't stop us from loving him to bits.'' Vector said as he followed him, looking forward to a little time with his other brothers and sister._

 _Quintus grinned at that, his greenish optics twinkling in delight. ''Yeah, you're right there.''_

 _::::  
_

 _''Look at you, Optimus!'' Alchemist said with a grin as he looked his brother over, admiring Solus's, as always, spectacular work._

 _Optimus looked over to the first femme. ''Just... why?''_

 _''Why what?'' She asked oh so innocently, making her youngest brother frown. ''Come on! I just wanted my dearest baby brother to look the best he can!''_

 _''Flames, Solus?_ Flames _?''_

 _The gray femme shrugged with a smirk._

 _Prima walked in just then, his blue optics widening beyond what Optimus had thought possible. ''Optimus?''_

 _The red and blue, now flamed, Prime sighed and shrugged like Solus had. ''I can't really explain the flames.''_

 _::::_

 _''Get back here, hooligan!''_

 _''Save me, Optimus!'' Amalgamous yelled to his brother as their resident Archivist chased him with one of Nexus's swords, the Omni Saber, if Optimus's optics weren't deceiving him._

 _''Primus himself couldn't save you now!'' Optimus just sighed as the two raced pass him, going back to his reading._

 _::::_

 _''Optimus?''_

 _Said Prime looked over to his only slightly older brother and smiled at him while he wiped the coolant off of his forehelm. ''Yes, Megatronus?''_

 _''How do you ask someone to share their spark with you?''_

 _The young mech's smile became blinding as he all but squealed and ran towards his training partner for the afternoon. ''You're going to ask Solus!''_

 _''Primus below, you have been spending too much time around her.'' The big warframe mech grumbled affectionately as his only younger brother began rambling on how romantic it all was._

 _::::_

 _''Optimus, just be careful when you enter there.'' Vector, already so tired and beaten, whispered to his youngest brother as he opened a portal through space and time directly into Unicron's spark. ''Just return to us.''_

 _::::_

 _''What do you wish to accomplish by coming here, pure one?'' The being in front of whose Spark he was standing mocked him as the dark energy rolling off of it weakened the young Prime._

 _Optimus grunted. ''I'm going to rid you of your rage and loneliness!'' He opened his chestplates, where the Matrix had been placed after Prima took the first hit. With the help of the Proton Spear Solus had designed for his use, Optimus beat away the antibodies that protected Unicron's systems and blasted the power of the Matrix right into his purple spark._

 _It left him exhausted and he collapsed right after the last of the energy left the artifact, which was now restoring itself. Before he fell into emergency stasis, he heard the up until now hostile tone gently say ''Thank you, my youngest creation.''_

 _::::_

 _''PLEASE! Please stop fighting!'' Optimus's cries went unheeded as Prima and Megatronus tore into each other, the death of Solus leaving them all raw and the two titans among them could only deal with it this way. The others slowly started fighting as well, leaving Optimus to watch in despair as his family fell apart._

 _::::_

 _''Come to me, my greatest creation.'' A soothing voice whispered in Optimus's audio receptors as he stared into the hole Solus's death had created. He startled as light pured out of the hole and recognized it as the light of his creator. ''Come to me, so I can give you my blessing. So I give you this important task.''_

 _Without hesitation, Optimus jumped into the hole and from his back, beautiful metallic wings, nothing like Onyx's, spread from his back and the youngest Prime sailed towards the core of his planet, the Spark of his Creator._

 _::::_

 _''You have returned my brother to me, and after a small eternity of him hating me, he protects me again. Only you can calm your brothers, my greatest creation.''_

 _''But how?'' Optimus asked as he hovered near the gigantic Spark before him. He was the only one who had seen both Unicron's and Primus's Sparks._

 _''However is necessary. I will let you decide.''_

 _::::_

 _''No! Maximo!'' The anguished cry tore from Optimus's vocalizer, almost rendering him mute and causing his remaining brethren to look at their distraught brother. They immediately dropped their weapons and rushed to him, but it was too late._

 _What he had just witnessed decided for Optimus just what he will have to do in order to finally calm the rage and darkness in his brothers's sparks once and for all._

 _::::_

 _''My most precious child, I wish to reward you for your sacrifice. Tell me, what is it that you desire the most?''_

 _Optimus, who was slowly turning into the Allspark and its casing, with what was left of his conciseness, answered groggily. ''Let there be life.''_

 _A warm wave washed over him, making him feel all the love the deity felt for him. ''So selfless. I will gladly make your wish a reality, but I will need you help.''_

 _''I'll do my best.'' The Prime was slowly falling into hibernation as his body and spark transformed into a life-giving power._

 _''I will return you to this world when you are needed the most. And you will lead the ones you find to a state of peace that existed before your fight with my twin brother. You might not remember your past life when you awaken, but the Matrix will. It will be given back to Prima for safe keeping and then hidden where no one but a Prime can reach it. Optimus Prime. That will be a name erased from the knowledge of the new life forms you have asked for. Only your brothers will know of it.''_

 _''That's... alright...'' He was fading, fast, and Primus knew that he had to finish this up quickly._

 _''The Matrix of Leadership will become a vessel of the wisdom of all Primes and none will bear it like you did and like you will, one day, again. For now, rest, Optimus Prime. Rest and observe how the world is developing.''_

 _His Creator's soothing presence was the last thing he felt before Optimus Prime was no more._

 _::::_

 _Alpha Trion started out of his musings when he heard a series of chirps and whistles from his left. The old mech, the only of the Primes still alive after Megatronus gave up his life for their people to regain their briefly lost freedom, turned quickly to see what had caused the noise, but nothing met his trained optics. The sound continued, beeps of irritation soon joining in and Trion followed them in order to find their source._

 _A couple breems later, Alpha Trion was shocked to see a sparkling trying, and failing, to reach the edge of the Well's last spiral that lead to the ledge Alpha Trion had been standing on. He was so small, but what was he doing here?_

 _''Hello there, little fella.''_

 _The sparkling stopped jumping up and down and looked over at the Archivist with curious optics. Who was this new mech? Will he help him get out of the big hole?_

 _Alpha Trion gasped when he fully took in the red, blue and silver plating, saw the finials and the crest only he and his brethren shared and looked into those too-wise optics to be placed in such a young creature. Could this be? Was the promise his Creator had given him finally being fulfilled? Was this sparkling really..._

 _''Optimus?''_

 _The sparkling smiled and chirped happily, clapping his small blue servos in delight! This mech knew his name! He must be a friend, then. He raised his arms in the universal 'Pick me up' sign and giggled at the old bot. And after seeing the reaction, Alpha Trion didn't hesitate to bend down and pick the sparkling up. Little Optimus cooed and tucked his little helm into the juncture of the Archivist's neck, feeling safe and loved already. Being with this mech soothed his little spark almost as much as that big glowing Spark down in the hole did._

 _Staring down at the bitlet that unexpectedly snuggled up to him and chased away all the pains from his old and beaten spark, Alpha Trion knew that it was true. It had finally happened. His youngest brother had returned._

 _''I swear on my own spark that I will protect you this time, Optimus.'' He told him as he drew the child closer, wanting more of that love and comfort Optimus was radiating. It would seem some things never changed._

 _''Protect me from what?'' A small, sleepy voice asked and the Archivist almost jumped out of his plating. It took him only a klik to realize it was the sparkling who had spoken, and in the language of the Primes, no less! Trion smiled gently and pressed a loving kiss on the sparkling's crest._

 _''From everything, little one.''_

 _''Mmm, kay.'' And with that the sparkling fell into peaceful recharge, beyond tired after his climb from the bottom of the Well._

 _Alpha Trion spent the long walk back to Iacon thanking Primus and Unicron both for returning this little miracle to save Cybertron from itself and any other enemies from beyond the skies, all the while never feeling even the littlest bit tired as he carried his sleeping once brother and now charge._

Optimus was snapped out of his previous life's memories as suddenly as he was thrust into them. He looked around the room, felt the Matrix of Leadership pulsing in his chest and let out a broken keen when he realized why he had always felt so empty.

Only one of his twelve siblings was still online and the loneliness of the lack of those twelve bright sparks hurt. He didn't know how Alpha Trion had bared with it, nor did he know how Primus had even allowed it and quite frankly, in this moment of pain and vulnerability, he didn't care. He felt both coolant and sparks leaking from his optics, creating crackling electricity that would have alarmed anyone, but the _Prime_ just ignored them.

In that one moment of weakness, Optimus Prime, the Thirteenth of Primes, weeped for his lost brethren and the peace they had once known.

00000

It was closing to the end of the joor and Artemis, as well as the rest of the Axalon's crew, were growing both nervous and anxious as no news of their captain reached them. Everyone had been staying quiet for the past five breems, none of them feeling comfortable with talking while one of their own might be in danger.

Another shock wave had hit all three ships and Megatron, knocking everyone over and nearly sending the warlord to his death between two colliding asteroids. The energy readings were beyond off the charts and Perceptor and Wheeljack were starting to question the wisdom of staying near their source for any longer, but Ultra Magnus had reminded them that they cannot leave before the joor ends, as that would be braking protocol and leaving a fellow Autobot out to the mercy of space and the QUINTESSONS. That had shut everyone up and Megatron had felt relief that they were not going to force him to abandon his new lover.

That was a long time ago, or it felt like it, at least. Now, they have only a few more breems left and Megatron feared his little lover won't make it.

::Do you see him, Megatron.:: Artemis asked from beside Blurr desperately, already preparing for the worse. He had promised, and no matter how much he might hate it, he will have to leave his Lord Optimus behind in order to fulfill that promise. His Lord Optimus would never forgive him if something happened to the bots he had taken under his metaphorical wing.

The resignation was clearly heard in his voice as he started answering. ::No, I'm afraid no- Wait!:: He focused to the place where he could have sworn he had seen something. Unknowingly to Meagtron, everyone in the bridge gathered near the communications counsel, wanting to hear what the Decepticon had to say. ::I think I saw something moving.::

Bumblebee scoffed. ''It's an asteroid field full of _asteroids_! _Something_ is bound to move!''

''He meant something _other_ than asteroids, you dumbaft!'' Ratchet snapped, slapping the yellow minibot upside the helm.

''Ow!''

::There it is again!:: They shut up when Strika glared at them upon hearing this.

A few moments of silence stretched between them as they waited with bathed breath for Megatron to confirm what or _who_ was moving. They all relaxed when they heard the joyous laughter over the comms, ex venting as the Decepticons all cheered at a completed mission.

::I see him! It's Optimus Prime!::


	27. Chapter 27

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth,a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N:HI THERE! THIS IS WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER. I DEDICATE IT TO ALL THOSE WHO HAD BEEN EAGERLY AWAITING A LITTLE MECH ON MECH ACTION! I HOPE IT IS DONE WELL ENOUGH AND THAT WHAT'S COMING NEXT GETS A FAVORABLE REACTION!**

 **Another warning is for a little OOCness and a few somewhat made up relics of the Primes... Well, only one, but still!**

 **This is also a shout out to my reviewers and readers for staying loyal to this story so far! Thank you so much!**

 _Previously..._

 _::Do you see him, Megatron?::_

 _The resignation was clearly heard in his voice as he started answering. ::No, I'm afraid no- Wait! I think I saw something moving.::_

 _Bumblebee scoffed. ''It's an asteroid field full of asteroids! Something is bound to move!''_

 _''He meant something other than asteroids, you dumbaft!'' Ratchet snapped, slapping the yellow minibot upside the helm._

 _''Ow!''_

 _::There it is again!::_

 _They all relaxed when they heard the joyous laughter over the comms, ex venting as the Decepticons all cheered at a completed mission._

 _::I see him! It's Optimus Prime!::_

 _Now..._

As soon as the Autobot exited the meteor ring, Megatron gathered him up in his large arms and hugged him to his strong chassis.

Optimus immediately returned the embrace, needing Megatron in that moment more than he needed energon to live. He held on and burrowed his helm underneath Megatron's neck, trembling from what had happened. He might never be able to fill in the empty space left by his brothers and sister, but Megatron will make him feel a bit more whole than he was currently feeling. He had to fight back his keens and whimpers, not wanting to break down now. That can wait until he was behind locked doors, alone or with his only remaining brother.

For now, he just wanted Megatron to hold him like he was made of glass and might break, because that was how he felt.

::You have no idea how worried I was, Optimus.:: The tyrant told the both in his arms, never wanting to let go. As soon as he had touched the smaller mech, he had seen that something was wrong. He was shaking like crazy, his invents were hitched and shuddered when he released them and he was clinging like a newspark did to their carrier. Just what had happened to shake him up this badly? ::Are you alright?::

Optimus didn't answer, only drawing himself even closer to Megatron and the silver mech sighed, placing a servo at the back of Optimus's helm, stroking it in comfort. It seemed to be working, as the Prime's shaking slowly became weaker and almost completely stopped. After a few minutes, Optimus looked up and reached up with both servos, taking a hold of Megatron's helm from both sides. The Decepticon went without fuss when the Autobot drew him in for a desperate kiss, deepening it when Optimus moaned. He let all of his worry and love pure into that single kiss, offering the drowning mech something to hold on to, since whatever he saw or experienced had rendered him emotionally vulnerable.

When they drew back, Megatron was glad to see that Optimus had calmed down and even gave him a weak smile. ::Thank you, Megatron. I needed that.::

The lord nuzzled his lovers audio receptor affectionately, earning himself a little squeak and a small giggle he couldn't contain. ::Anything for you, sweetspark.:: The way the red and blue mech flushed at that was just so adorable.

Megatron's smile slipped off of his faceplate when he noticed something. Something was different, but it was so subtle that he had trouble seeing what it was. He looked his intended up and down and saw that he had some sort of utility belt now, similar to the one he had seen on Optimus the first time he had fought the Autobot. The place where he had gained those ridiculous finials on his wrists to help him fly better were now closed, although they looked longer now. At the utility belt Megatron saw a single dagger the color of purest gold and it seemed to be glowing slightly. He also noticed that were Prime's plating had formed a rectangular shape on his silvery thighs it now seemed that it could open, as if part of his subspace. His helm seemed to have gained a space for a removable visor above his optics, if Megatron wasn't mistaking. His wings had fully merged with his back, the jetpack's blocky body where the main thrusters had been almost completely flattened to the smooth metal, only two outwards-downwards openings that showed the thrusters that now resembled more flightframe thrusters than anything that was artificially added to the frame. One of the two most shocking changes was the absence of the Autobot insignia on the young Prime's right shoulder. It was bare now, just smooth plating with no sign of the red symbol ever being present.

The _absolutely_ most shocking thing on the young mech now was that his audio receptors no longer had their blue covers. Instead, the silver protofom was clearly seen where they had once been, but no circuitry was exposed. The only thing he could see was a strange, ancient symbol, a glyph of Cybertronian origin, but Megatron couldn't make heads or tails of it. It was written in black but it stood out more so plain than if it had been written in neon pink. It was both curved and sharp, smooth and pointy and it confused the warlord beyond imagined. It looked so dignified and it made Optimus seem regal, almost godlike. He couldn't make out from what dialect it was nor if it had any true meaning, so he took a picture and sent it to Shockwave, asking for an explanation, only to get a query back as to what it was.

Deciding to deal with that later but sending his spy instructions to ask Alpha Trion and sending that they are heading back, Megatron returned his focus to his intended. ::Did you find what you were searching for?:: He asked as he took Optimus's servo in his own and started tugging him away from the meteor ring, back towards the Omega Sentinels. His lover might need to rest, after the trip he had and the emotional outburst just now, no matter how controlled it had been. He must be exhausted.

Optimus reached up to place his free servo over his spark, but stopped and forced himself to instead touch his belt, his hand landing on the gold blade at his left hip. If Megatron wasn't mistaken and losing his mind, the thing actually glowed a little brighter with the blue hand resting on it. And as he looked at the blade, he realized that it wasn't the only thing attached to the belt. There were a few more handle-like objects, resembling smoke-sticks as they rested on the Prime's body, ready for use. They were various colors, one was bluish-white while another was blacker than empty space and seemed to not be reflecting any light. Another one was also gold and one looked like it could be taken apart and put back together like a puzzle. He also noticed two spheres resting on either side of the yellow button like circle in the middle of the belt, right above... Megatron shook his helm and forced himself not to look at his lover's interface paneling just below where his optics had been. Now was not the time. The warlord looked at his intended's servo on the golden blade and noticed that there was a little of gray plating like before he took on his Earth vehicle mode and notice that it, too, might be another subspace compartment. Looking at the one he was holding, he noticed that it had the same plating and he began wondering just what his bonded-to-be had found in that asteroid ring's center.

His optics most assuredly looked a lot older than they had before he had entered.

::I think I found more than I was expecting... or ready for.:: Was the reply given and Megatron was most displeased that things were being kept hidden from him. Optimus must have felt it in his EM field because he gripped his black servo tighter with his smaller, blue one and smiled up at him, even if it looked a bit strained. ::I... don't want to talk about it now, but I _will_ tell you later, okay?::

Megatron didn't reply to that, just drew the younger mech closer. ::You do know that you can tell me anything, Optimus? I won't judge, no matter what it is.:: This got him a true, happy smile and Megatron's spark settled for the time being.

Optimus snuggled up to the Decepticon, the smile never leaving his faceplate. For this moment, his loss and sorrow was forgotten, even if it was only temporary. ::I have to speak with Alpha Trion about something I have found and discovered, but you should know that you will be the first one I tell after I talk with him.:: He then suddenly drew out of the embrace and flew ahead playfully, looking over his shoulder teasingly. ::That it, if you can catch me!:: And with that, the red and blue bot activated his thrusters and flew away, leaving a stupefied Decepticon Lord behind him to watch him.

Suddenly, a devious smirk spread across gray lip components, red optics twinkling. ::Oh, I'll catch you, Optimus Prime, and when I do, I won't let you go.:: He powered up his thrusters and gave chase, enjoying the laugh he got from his little intended as they raced back to the awaiting shipformers. It didn't matter what came their way, Megatron swore he will protect this mech from anything, including his own sadness.

He won't allow that beautiful laugh to disappear.

This, he vowed.

00000

''They are on their way back, ETA about two to three breems, depending on the amount of rocks they had to deal with.'' Shockwave told the others, who were all animatedly shattering again, all curious and excited about what Optimus will be bringing back. All remaining tension had vanished when Optimus had commed his crew and his team from Earth, telling them to prepare oil and energon, because they were going to celebrate tonight, before going back to Cybertron to deal with the Quintesson invasion. He was just glad to see Blurr relaxed and happy once more. The little agent had even hugged him earlier! Maybe he had a chance to get him back, after all.

The only one not participating in any of these small celebrations and chatting was Alpha Trion, who was still looking out of the window he had been at since Optimus and Megatron had departed. Deciding now was as good a time as any, Shockwave called for the old bot's attention. It drew the attention of everyone else, but Shockwaved ignored them for the moment.

''Lord Megatron sent me an interesting picture. He was wondering if you might know what it is.''

Alpha Trion raised and optical ridge as the former Head of Intelligence transfered the picture to Alpha Supreme's databases and showed it on the big screen in front of him. While everyone looked at the screen in confusion, Alpha Trion's face had the look of dawning realization and happiness soon followed it, a startled laugh escaping his lips.

So, it was really finally happening!?

He looked at the glyph in front of him and laughed again, joy filling his old spark.

 **3 Tユ**  
 **L l L '**

His youngest brother was back! He was finally back!

00000

As soon as he stepped foot onto Alpha Supreme, Optimus Prime rushed into the waiting arms of his only remaining brother. Alpha Trion gladly hugged him, drawing him as close as he could and silently talking to him in their birth language that only Primes and the two deities that created them spoke. Optimus was shaking and Trion himself was very close to letting sparks fall from his optics, both of them mourning their lost brethren together.

''Why didn't you tell me?'' Optimus finally whispered, for the first time since he was just a sparkling speaking the language of his siblings. ''I had a right to know! I had a right to know of them and mourn them with you! Why didn't you tell me!?'' He desperately asked.

Alpha Trion stroked his helm like he did when Optimus was only a sparkling that had just crawled out of the Well on his own. ''How I wished to tell you, little brother, but it would only burden you. How was I supposed to explain to a sparking that the emptiness he felt was because of his offlined brothers and sister from a past life when you did not remember it? How was I supposed to rob you of the innocence you had gotten back, when you knew not of war and conflicts? I could not steal your happiness just because I wanted you back. So I bared the burden for a few more vorns just so you can have a chance at a peaceful life, but you were always destined to end this great conflict and fill in the divide. I could not stop it and neither could you. I highly doubt even Primus could stop it by the time you left for the space bridge repair crew missions. I could only hope that you will return successful and safe.''

''How do you deal with it? The pain of the void where they once were?'' The youngest Prime asked miserably.

''You learn to cope with time and reassure yourself that you will see them one day once again.'' The Archivist said with a heavy spark. He knew that it wasn't much help but it was the truth and the truth was rarely ever pleasant to hear. Optimus was suffering now because the pain he had learned to live with finally had a meaning and was thus practically new, but he was strong and he had other bonds now. They will never replace their brethren but Optimus's friends will stop him from feeling alone, but he will always be lonely. He is, unfortunately, destined to stand alone even when he is surrounded by millions of mechs and femmes. Alpha Trion knew how this will all end and he felt such despair at how he will abandon Optimus.

So for now, he will try to make the best of the time they have.

''When All Are One.'' Optimus said in the same voice he had said it when he had first uttered the words and united his twelve siblings.

Alpha Trion nodded and lessened the strength behind the hug and they stepped out of it together, but didn't move far from each other. ''When All Are One.''

''Um, sorry to interrupt, but it is rude to speak in a room full of people in a language only a few understand.'' Arcee told them hesitantly, making Optimus bark out a startled laugh, having completely forgotten there were others around them. They were all staring but Artemis looked like he wanted to come over to them. He'll have to speak with his Second in Command later. He owes him that much, especially since he now has something that used to belong to his creator and Lord.

''Right, sorry.'' Optimus said sheepishly, smiling at the room at large and soothing all those who had worried when they had seen him shaking in the old mech's arms. ''Now, I believe you all might have some questions, but I have to go and sort out all that I have found. Alpha Trion, do you mind helping me out?''

''Certainly.''

''Now wait just a minute!'' Blackarachnia exclaimed and marched over to the two secretly true Primes. ''You've went on a strange mission after being kidnapped from your room over two decacycles ago just so you will find something and you won't show it to us, who had thought you were possibly in danger and had come after you to save you?! Are you _asking_ for me to kick your aft, you insensitive prick?!''

Optimus raised his servos in a defensive gesture. ''I can't explain right now, 'Lita. I need to sort some things out. You wouldn't believe me even if I told you, anyway! I just need a joor or so to... process everything that had happened in the past two decacycles, the changes occurring around us all the time and what I had just found out. I promise that you will see the items I brought back, probably sooner than you might think, so for now... just let me think?''

''It's been centuries since you've called me 'Lita.'' She said after a few seconds of silence.

Optimus's optics softened and he hugged her like he used to do whenever she was confused or sad, despite her being older than him. He was the more emotionally mature one, the one that comforted others. ''It's been centuries since you've let me.'' And they didn't mean the time since the accident but rather the time before that. After they had matured, Elita wanted to be called by her full designation in order to sound sexier and more imposing than she already was so she had forbidden Optimus, the only one who had the right to call her 'Lita all the time, and Sentinel, who only did so when he messed something up and was trying to avoid retribution with his girlfriend, to call her by the affectionate nickname Optimus had given her a little before they had become Amica Endura.

Deciding that enough was enough, Blackarachnia gathered her nerves and reach for the bond, opening it like she hadn't since the spider incident and reaching across it for her best friend. Optimus, feeling the tug of an open bond, reach across to her as well and the two friends laughed in joy as their friendship was fully restored. And as soon as the bond had settled, Blackarachnia didn't look like the bitter techno-organic she had become. There was no bitterness left behind either her smile or in her optics. If they were blue, she would look like Elita One all over again and something in Sentinel's own spark tugged him towards the femme. The femme must have felt it as well and she turned towards the approaching blue Prime and the three friends reconciled after a thousand or so stellar cycles.

Seeing that his two friends needed some time to settle all the things between them, Optimus left them and walked over to the Archivist and the two left before anyone could stop them. As soon as they reached Optimus's room, he closed the door and locked it, asking Alpha to inform them if something needed their attention.

When that was finished, the Prime reached for his utility belt and took one of the two spheres, a strange looking one with transformation seams all over its surface. It resembled a T-Cog but looked far more elaborate than any ordinary T-Cog ever could. It had a gold-brownish tint to its color and was slightly larger than a T-Cog, even a Decepticon's. Without even having to concentrate on it, Optimus activated the Transformation Cog of Amalgamous Prime and he slowly started taking off the other relics from his body.

The Transformation Cog had made them miniatures of their proud selves for easier transport because no one had enough subspace to place all of the sacred relics of the Primes on their person at once.

As they transformed to their true size, Optimus called them by name a she removed them, one by one.

''Prima's Star Saber,'' he said as he placed a giant white-steel sword that could cut through anything on the work desk. ''The Omni Saber, Cyber Caliber, Chaos Edge and Infinite Combinatoric of Nexus,'' said the youngest Prime as he removed the various swords of the combiner from subspace. ''The Chimera Stone, belonging to Micronus, and Amalgamous's Scythe.'' One of the other spheres, one of a stone'like texture despite it being a pure metal mineral from crystallized energon and Primus's plating, was placed on the table as well, beside it a big weapon, a likeliness of its name but with the ability to change shape like its master had. ''Liegian Darts used by Liege Maximo, the most deadly arrows in existence, both poisonous and explosive.'' The bow hidden in Optimus's gray, left wrist compartment was placed on the table, ready to crate said darts at any given moment, at the touch of a Prime. ''The Triptych Mask that allowed Onyx to look into other times and realities.'' The three faces of the mask were placed beside the other relics. ''The Lenses, Alchemist's very optics.'' He said sadly as he took them from under his helm's extension over his optics that made it look like he was wearing a cap. ''Emberstone of Quintus, which he used to give life to his creations.'' The third sphere, which was placed in subspace, was placed beside the other sphere. ''The Forge of Solus Prime and the Creation Lathe which she used to create our armor and weapons.'' Both objects were too big and heave for the desk so Optimus propped up the Forge against a wall and set the other relic beside it. He then opened the gray compartment on his right wrist and pulled out a huge cannon from it, only able to do so because of the Transformation Cog. ''The Requiem Blaster, bestowed to Megatronus because he was the only one who could handle its destructive power.'' The cannon had to be placed on a different table on the other side of the room, where Optimus soon deposited the next items. ''The Blades of Time, belonging only to Vector, the master of time.'' The five gold parts of the bigger sword, two coming from where his flying finials had been on the sides of his wrists and two from his new thigh compartments. The fifth was taken off of his utility belt and Optimus combined to five peaces, completing his second eldest brother's sword once more. He then reached behind his back and pulled out a spear like item. ''The Proton Spear, the Origin Matrix and the Terminus Blade, all created by Solus for me, even though I told her I don't want any special weapons.''

''They saved our lives during the fight with Unicron well enough.''

Optimus snorted. ''And made Prima and Megatronus always bug me about sparing with them.''

Alpha Trion chuckled, remembering the youngest Prime hiding with either Solus or himself when he wanted to get away from them. You should never mess with your medic or a librarian, is what those two had learned and never forgot. ''They posses great power and can only be used by you, Optimus.''

''Like the Hunter is as well.''

Alpha Trion winced. The Hunter is a magnificent sword created solely for Optimus, in case they all offlined in the fight with Unicron and he was the only one left. It possessed a unique ability to absorb all impacts and turn it into its own energy, no matter from what it came from or how strong that attack was. Optimus had been forced to use it and had nearly destroyed them all along with Unicron when the Chaos Bringer had tried to devour Prima and Megatronus, while crushing Alchemist under his gigantic foot. If Optimus had decided to fight in the War of the Primes, no matter which side he took or if he fought for himself, he would have wiped the others clean out of existence in that moment. The gentle Prime hated the weapon for its power and refused to carry it around. He wondered if Optimus had left it back on the asteroid.

''Don't worry, I have it.'' As if reading his mind, Optimus took out a beautifully carved blade with a red and blue hilt. There was a transformation seam across the middle of the blade, indicating that it can separate and be like a fork between there the gathered energy would crackle until it was released. ''But I REFUSE to use it.''

''I wasn't going to make you, Optimus.''

''Good.'' Said Prime nodded before placing the sword down, right underneath his berth. It would seem some habits never died. Which was a good thing since that blade could seriously destroy even deities like Primus and Unicron. Optimus then placed the Transformation Cog among the other items before reaching both hands into his subspace and taking out two small items. ''The Badge of Vector Prime and the Key to Vector Sigma, both needed to enter special parts of Vector Sigma back in Kaon. Just _why_ hadn't you insisted to the Council that you populate the city by at least a little?'' He asked as he placed the little silver and blue key and the red badge that resembled the Autobot emblem.

''Do _you_ want the Council accidentally getting their grubby little servos on Vector Sigma and a clear path directly to Primus's Spark?''

''Good point.'' He conceded. ''Now, if you will please, your artifacts, brother.''

Alpha Trion smiled at the title he was given and reached for his two relics without hesitation. ''You have no idea how much I have longed for you to call me that again.'' He said as he placed the Covenant of Primus and the Quill among the other artifacts of the Primes. The brown book contained the information of all that has been, that is now and that will be in the future, all possibilities and all the many Universes that are shaped by different choices each person makes. The Quill, on the other hand, could change reality if used on the Covenant. It can write new events in the future or erase things from existence, but since it is extremely dangerous and threatens the fabric of time, Alpha Trion had promised Vector that he won't use it often.

Now all but one item were placed before them.

''Optimus, the Matrix of Leadership?''

The youngest Prime opened his chestpaltes and out came the soothing light like the light of Primus's Spark, healing their pains and giving them a reason to move on. The older Prime inspected the relic and was satisfied to see that it had completely engulfed his brother's spark, protecting it from outside influences. It was one of the reasons Unicron's darkness couldn't reach Optimus when they had been fighting him. Optimus was only weakened in the presence of the Chaos Bringer's Dark Spark while any other would have either died or went insane and became the deities servant for all eternity. The other reasons were the rest of the artifacts he used, mostly the Hunter, as it absorbed a good portion of all the negative energy trying to seep into its wielder. If the blade is used with the Origin Matrix, which can also be combined with the Star Saber, the Origin Matrix multiplies the input power ten times as the output attacking power, making it an even more devastating weapon than it already was. The Matrix of Leadership had originally been a part of the Star Saber, but Prima had ripped it off and showed it into Optimus's chest to protect his youngest and dearest brother from Unicron's darkness. In return for that kindness and care, Optimus had allowed Prima to use the Origin Matrix up until the point when he and Megatronus went to war with each other.

They were all just very lucky that Prima received a blessing from both Primus and the Allspark to use it again when he was planing to chase away the Quintessons the first time around.

''How does it feel? Does it hurt anywhere?''

Optimus shook his helm. ''It feels like it belongs, like it always did.''

''Because it does, brother.'' The Archivist said as he traced the Prime glyph on Optimus's audio receptors. ''Your spark is even purer than Primus's, due to him being bonded to Unicron, so this one piece of him that is independent of that bond is searching for something as pure as its energy. And that is you, Optimus Prime.''

''Never mind that. How are the others?''

Alpha Trion smirked knowingly. ''You meant Metroplex?''

''I mean all of the others!''

''But Metroplex first, right?'' Optimus scowled at the teasing so Trion gave in. ''Well, what is written in the records regarding them isn't made up or lies.'' He sighed sadly, knowing that Optimus knew this but needed to hear it. ''They're offline, all of them. I am sorry Optimus. They gave their lives to help us win the War for Freedom. Metroplex is the only one still in one piece, as he gave up his life so we can fuel our people and ships in the final push against the Quintessons.''

Optimus lowered his helm and clenched his servos into tight fists. ''The other transformers? Like Roller?''

''All hidden on Cybertron's six moon, living separately from the war hungry populace beneath them. None are extinct.''

''Well, that's a relief!'' Optimus said sarcastically. ''Never mind that they can't even touch down to their home world, feel that closeness to Primus's Spark! Just what had become of our people, Alpha Trion? How had you and the others not abandoned them?''

He sighed. ''While we are not the most patient and humble mechs, we couldn't hate them or abandon them, not matter what stupidities they committed. You had a hand in creating them and they were, as such, one of the last things we had to remember you by.'' The older Prime shrugged uncomfortably. ''Besides, we knew you would never forgive us if we did so.''

Optimus smiled. His siblings hated seeing him unhappy so they did their best to not be the cause of it. ''True.'' Even if it did annoy them beyond any measures.

''Now, that that's settled,'' Alpha Trion said as they began hiding some of the items around the room. There as no need for Optimus to take into battle Solus's creation relics nor did he need the Triptych Mask, the Key to Vector Sigma or the Badge of Vector Prime. Those will be staying with Alpha Trion so the old mech can use them to heal others when damaged in battle. Not to mention that the Quill and Covenant are staying with him, too. ''Let's talk about Megatron and you wanting to bond with him as much as he wants with you.''

''BROTHER!'' A flustered Optimus screamed at his brother, throwing a mesh pillow at his helm while the older bot laughed.

00000

''So you've finally decided to join us?'' Strika questioned when she noticed the two come back, Trion looking smug while Optimus appeared to be flustered and embarrassed, not looking anyone in the optics and avoiding Megatron's gaze especially. ''Mind telling us what you found?''

The two exchanged significant looks before Optimus reached into his subspace and pulled out the Hunter. They had decided that since it has never been recorded anywhere as a weapon of the Primes, it would be the best thing to show them. They even had a brilliant story made up, provided them by the truth behind the sword. ''One of the things I found was this sword. It was hidden in some sort of sanctuary on a big asteroid in the middle of the ring. There were a lot of strange glyphs written around it and on it, similar to what is written here, on the blade.'' Optimus ran blue digits over the writing that told of the use for the weapon as a Sword of Justice. It was meant to be used if Unicron were to prevail over everyone but Optimus and the youngest Prime was to use it to deliver the final judgment, bringing the Destroyer of Worlds to justice for his many sins. They were just lucky that the others couldn't read that from the blade, because a new war might brake out just for this item and that's not what they need. Ever! ''Most of the text was written in the strange glyphs, but there was enough text in ancient Iaconian dialect for me to understand that the sword works only for the person who first touches it. It absorbs the energy signature and accommodates itself for only their use. After the death of the user, it goes into neutral mode again until the next person touches it.''

Which was complete slag, but it's not as if they could justify why only Optimus can use the sword any other way. It was a dangerous lie, as it put Optimus at risk, but it was the only thing that they can go with without it being suspicious. It was a powerful weapon, even if they will never tell them the full extent of its capabilities and powers. They didn't need to boast around that they had a god-killer in their possession.

''And you decided to touch it, anyway?'' Cyclonus raised an optical ridge.

''How else was I supposed to bring it back?!'' Optimus snapped at the purple Decepticon, not at all worried that this was one of the most dangerous warriors among the flightframes. He had faced down both Megatronus and Prima singlehandedly and he had managed to defeat them a few times. And if he's going to try and scare him, well, despite Onyx's friendly nature, he was a scary looking person.

And lets not even go into the whole whose his second creator by all intents and purposes!

''Maybe let somebot else go and retrieve it?''

Optimus bared his dentas like a mechanimal would its fangs. ''And just _how_ would you get past the energy field that acted as a shield and burned to a crisp anything that tried to pass through but me?''

Cyclonus smirked after a moment of silence. ''Touche.'' The Decepticon nodded over to his lord. ''You have chosen well, Lord Megatron. I approve.'' Megatron glared at the smug mech, even though he was proud of his choice and how Optimus had dealt with the infuriating mech. while said red and blue bot was blushing from the praise.

''What sort of forcefield?'' Wheeljack asked curiously and Optimus shook his helm at the inventor.

''One you don't want to mess with.''

''hey, enough with the serious stuff! Boss-bot, this is supposed to be a celebration that we'll be chasing the squids away once and for all! So unless Boss-bot has anything else to show us, let's get this party started!'' Bumblebee cheered, jumping up from his seat and making poses like he did back on Earth when he had interrupted Prowl's nature shows and instead played loud music.

''Ya! Party time! Everybody dance now!'' Random cackled as he scooped up the minibot and started waltzing with him around the room, ignoring Bumblebee's protests to be put down.

''Idiotic malfunctions.'' Ratchet grumbled from his pace beside Arcee while the pink femme tried to stop her giggling.

''Actually, I found something else.'' That quickly drew attention back to the captain of Alpha Supreme and the crew that lived on board the recently activated shipformer. ''You know I told you Primal Major believed that whatever I find could help in uniting our factions and stopping the war, right?'' He received nods of various helms, both Autobot and Deceptic, as well as of one Minicon and one Quintesson. ''Well, the sword is to deal with external threats and any rebels that may try to stop it from happening. _This_ is supposed to unite us.'' He showed them the Key to Vector Sigma. ''It should allow us to activate the part of the Well of Allsparks that has been dormant since the War for Freedom, the part that created protoforms fit for sparklings, not grown soldiers. And it doesn't pick Autobot or Decepticon. It would be the first equality between our peoples since before the war started. No functionists, no factions, no oppression on either side. What more could you wish for?''

''So Primal did good, then.'' Strika concluded. ''But why did he choose you? I mean, I don't really have anything against his choice seeing as you have done well, but I don't really see the logic. He had obviously found that place long before you were sparked, or born. He could have picked anybot long before you came into the world, so why wait? Why not just get it over with?''

Optimus shrugged. ''I don't know, but I thing it might have something to do with the frequencies my spark gives off, since I was the only thing that could get through the forcefield and unlock the door there.''

''It is not unheard of for those who want to protect something that they install a random frequency into the lock so that whatever they were protecting can never again be used.'' Perceptor supplied. ''I personally suggest we make such a lock for whatever cell or prison we make for the Quintessons.''

''Well, now that that's been taken care of, I believe Bumblebee has a point!'' Sari said happily from her perch on Bulkhead's shoulder. ''It's time to party! Optimus is back, two more Omega Sentinels are online and we just found the two things that will save Cybertron! It's time to have some fun before we kick the squids's butts!''

''I hear you sister. Pass over the high grade!'' Blackarachnia yelled as she jumped onto the comfortable couch in the common room. Slisptream soon joined her, already bringing a cube for the other femme and a barrel of jet fuel for herself.

''Party!'' Jetfire and Jetstrom hugged each other as they exclaimed this before running over to Bumblebee, Sari and Bulkhead. They talked briefly before the orange and white twin sprinted over to one of the counsels and hit a few buttons and loud popular Cybertronian music blared over all speakers. The youngsters and the two femmes whooped in joy and the mechs and Sari immediately began dancing. Blitzwing, still in Random mode, was quick to join them, dragging along poor Lugnut and an irritated Strika. Jazz went over to the counsel Jetfire had used and examined it before starting to push buttons and changing the beat slightly, causing more cheers. He soon became the DJ and the party was in full swing.

Roller was quick to get the energon, oil, fuel and rust sticks out. Sunstorm soon came to help the little Minicon since the dancers were almost crushing him. Cyclonus scooped up his little Hot Rod and whisked him away to one corner of the room, where they sat down and just kissed and snuggled and talking into each other's audios. Seeing that the red and white femme wasn't going to do so on her own, Starscream tugged on First Aid's servo and placed her on the makeshift dance floor, causing the youngsters there to whistle and catcall but quickly shut up when the Airlord of Vos glared at them. Arcee tried to get Ratchet to dance with her but the old medic had two left stabilizers and almost flattened them both to the ground, so they just sat near the other two young femmes and the three femmebots quickly broke out into an interesting conversation while Ratchet was soon joined by Wheeljack and Perceptor and the three old friends started discussing anything that popped up into their processors. They soon manged to drag Atremis and Alpha Trion in as well, causing the oldest among them to ask for high grade.

After some time, Strika managed to escape the dance floor and joined them. Brawn and Hot Shot were at one of the other couches, drinking and cracking bad jokes at each other, not really the type to show affection in public. Ramjet started chatting with Cliffjumper while Skywarp dragged Thundercracker to the dance floor, which was vacated by Sari and Bulkhead, due to them wanting to play one of the games. Blurr had pushed Shockwve back into his seat by the communications counsels and had plopped into the shocked spy's lap, taking a cube from Roller and kicking it back lite it was low grade energon and not high grade. Shockwave just chuckled before he started nuzzling the Agent, the two lost in a world of their own.

Yoketron and Ultra Magnus were silently standing next to each other and observing the others have their well deserved fun. Lockdown had managed to somehow drag Prowl to dance with him and he was making sure that the smaller ninja wasn't separated from him even by air, which embarrassed Prowl to no end. They were content to just observe the craziness going on around them when a rumbling voice drew their attention.

''Ultra Magnus.'' Megatron addressed the Autobot Supreme Commander as he walked over to them, a cube of high grade on his left servo.

Said white and blue Autobot turned to look at him properly. ''Megatron.'' He acknowledge with a nod. The gray warlord sighed in irritation and rubbed his nasal bridge in annoyance, causing the two bots before him to stare in confusion with arched optic ridges. ''Are you alright?'' Ultra asked hesitantly, knowing that Decepticons were rather touchy with showing feelings.

''I'm fine. Just... Don't make me regret this.'' Was all he said before showing a data drive into the unsuspecting Magnus's servos and walking away before the other could reply. The two Autobots exchanged a look before Magnus inserted the dive into one of his data ports and started downloading the contents. What came up was only one line of numbers that to anyone other than a Cybertronian would mean absolutely nothing, but was in fact a form of communication between mechs and femmes for millions of vorns. A frequency number. But why would Megatron give him a frequency num-

Ultra's optics widened as he realized just what the Decepticon warlord had given him. Could it be?

While this was happening, Optimus was approached by the last bot he had thought would want to talk with him after yet another successful assignment. He was just leaning his back against one of the walls, silently talking with the three Omega Sentinels over the comms and observing the room have fun and old rifts between Autobots and Decepticons slowly being filled and mended, when a servo tapped him on the shoulder strut that had once held his Autobot insignia. Imagine his surprise when he looked over and saw none other than Sentinel, looking at him with conflicting emotions showing in his optics and shuffling from pede to pede. ''Sentinel? Is something wrong?'' The other didn't answer him and Optimus turned fully to him, looking at him with concern. ''Are you alright?''

The genuine concern did it better than any other form of interrogation or torture ever could. Sentinel caved to the worried optics and sagged. ''Everything's fine.'' He answered and looked at his once close friend in the optics to pacify him. When he was sure the other had stopped fretting (for now), Sentinel shifted again and rubbed the back of his helm and neck cables. ''Um, Optimus? I need to tell you something.''

Optimus raised an optic ridge at his Amica Endura's intended. ''Yes?'' He said with crossed servos, seeing from the corner of his optic that Megatron was slowly heading towards them after having talked to Ultra Magnus. Just what had his Decepticon lover done to have left the Commander in such a state of utter, stupefied shock?

Sentinel took a deep intake to calm his nerves and looked back into his once friend's gentle, reassuring optics. Even though he had never grown fond of Optimus like Elita had, he had also been somewhat attached to the fragger. It was just his jealousy and insecurities that had stopped him from forming and actual bond with this mech, robbing himself of a wonderful friend. Well, no more. ''I wanted to say that I am sorry for the way I have been treating you, and I don't mean just these past few days or since the incident on Archa Seven, but also before that. I've been purposefully shutting you out becau-''

''I know.'' Optimus interrupted him with a raised servo, cutting him off completely.

Sentinel slumped. ''You do, huh?''

Optimus nodded before smiling gently, surprising Sentinel. ''Yes, and I forgive you.'' The big-chinned bot's jaw dropped, not quite believing his audios. It couldn't be that easy, could it?

''But, I thought...?''

The true Prime smiled at the Autobot Prime, a title that will have to go as soon as they finish the whole Quintession business, and clasped his shoulder strut. ''Hey, it's not your fault for being an insensitive aft. It's not something you can control, you know, programming and all.''

The blue bot started nodding along before realizing just what had been said. ''Hey!'' Optimus just laughed and Sentinel huffed, crossing his servos petulantly. ''Okay, I guess I deserved that.'' Optimus chuckled a bit more before growing serious.

''I forgive you, just... try not to continue acting that way from now on.'' Sentinel nodded and gave his word that he'll do his best but that it might take time as it had become a bad habit of his. ''And be careful not to hurt her, Sentinel. She's been through enough.''

''I don't plan to. I want her back, Optimus. I missed her and I never looked to another mech or femme but her.'' The red and blue mech nodded before gesturing for Sentinel to go towards Blackarachnia. He made a shooing motion that had the other bot glaring at him for being treated like a sparkling being told to leave the room because adults were talking. He let it go for now, though, and went over to Balckarachnia, quickly being drawn into a conversation he had no idea what to think about.

Optimus just chuckled at how clueless he was and leaned into the warm chassis that came up behind him, knowing it was Megatron. Strong servos wrapped around him and he was drawn even closer to that beating spark, making Optimus relax. He could stay like this forever if he was given a chance. They stayed locked like that, Megatron slowly swaying them to the music after some time and Optimus snuggling into his big bad Decepticon. Still, he just had to ask.

''What did you tell Ultra Magnus? He looked like his whole world had turned in on itself.''

Megatron chuckled, nuzzling his little lover's finials and enjoying the shiver that ran through that sinful red chassis at the action. ''I gave him something that just might do that, if he has the ball-bearings to use it.'' Optimus gave him a puzzling look but Megatron just kissed him chastely on those pouty lips of his before pulling back slightly, effectively drawing the Prime's attention away from the Autobot Commander. ''But enough about that, Optimus. I wanted to talk with you about something. It's very important.''

Optimus frowned lightly, noticing that something was up with Megatron. ''Is something the matter?''

The warlord shook his helm. ''Nothing bad, I assure you.''

''Then I'm going to take a wild guess and say that you want this to be a private conversation?'' Megatron smiled at his intended and nodded, kissing the crest on his forehelm. Optimus sighed and pulled away, taking the warmongers black servo in his blue, smaller one. ''Come on, then.'' Only two people noticed the two leaders leaving and neither Alpha Trion nor Strika were going to stop them.

They deserved a little love, after all.

00000

''Okay, what did you want to talk about?'' Optimus asked as he sat on his berth, indicating for Megatron to do the same, but the Decepticon stayed on his pedes. It made Optimus frown and he called his lover's designation, only for the warlord to drop on his knee joints in front of him and take his servo's in hi own, the black hands completely swallowing the blue, delicate-looking ones. ''Megatron?'' He asked again, not understanding what was going on. His spark was starting to beat like crazy and the Prime briefly wondered if the Decepticon could hear it.

Megatron just stared at the beautiful young mech before him for a moment before sighing and deciding that staring at him won't get him what he wants. He raised the little servos up to his intake and placed a kiss on each servo, making Optimus blush prettily. ''Optimus, I am not a romantic mech nor am I prone to spontaneous decisions, but I don't really know how to take things slow, as I have told you last recharge cycle. I know what I want and I don't want to wait, even if I would for you. I've never felt like this with anyone else and my spark is singing for you, longing after you. I know this is rather sudden and quick, since we only confessed to each other yesterday, but I want to bond with you.'' Optimus gasped in surprise and happiness. ''I want to be able to feel you at the back of my mind and spark at all times, I want to wake up next to you every day for the rest of my function and I want to be able to love you always. I want you to be mine and no one else's. I know I may be selfish, but that's how I am.'' Megatron moved forward and tucked his helm into his intended's abdominal plating. ''What is your answer, Optimus?''

A choked sob came from above his helm and Megatron raised his helm to see coolant dripping from his lover's beautiful blue optics. ''Optimus?'' He asked in worry, only to get an armful of red, blue and silver plating, a happy voice whispering "Yes, yes, Of course, you big dummy!" over and over again before his faceplate was peppered with butterfly kisses. Megatron laughed and took a hold of his soon to be mate's helm and held him in place as he ravished his mouth lovingly.

''Let me take care of you.'' The Decepticon said as he pushed his smaller lover back on the berth, arranging him so he was comfortable and pushing a knee between those beautiful silvery things, causing Optimus to whimper in excitement and fear. ''Optimus. You look so beautiful underneath me.''

Optimus blushed and reached up for his lover, drawing him down on top of hims and kissing him. ''Megatron.'' He moaned when a skilled glossa dived into his mouth, the name coming out muffled but still heating up the silver mech's systems like not even the best oil could.

00000

''Are you sure about this, Blurr?'' Shockwave asked uncertainly as the small Agent dragged him into his room aboard the Axalon. ''You've been drinking quite a bit of high grade and oil.''

''Shockwave, have you forgotten that I can't get overcharged?'' The sky-blue former Autobot asked amusedly.

''I just don't want you to regret this.'' The bigger mech said as he allowed Blurr to push him into the room and towards the berth. When he was too close to the berth, Shockwave dug his pedes into the floor and refused to move a single step closer. He had been given a second chance and he was not going to screw it up because he was too eager to interface with Blurr.

''If you make love to me and not just frag me,'' Blurr, having understood that the Decepticon won't move from his spot, walked over the remaining distance to the berth with a sway of his hips and sat down sexily, showing off for Shockwave, said in his most seductive voice, causing said Decepticon to shiver in want. ''And never lie to me again, I won't regret it.''

Shockwave couldn't stop a groan when Blurr let his servos drift over his own body, teasing his interface panel and never breaking optic contact. ''But what about the Autobots?'' Despite his protests, the spy was approaching his once and now soon to be again lover, making Blurr grin in victory.

Blurr scuffed. ''I am no longer an Autobot. Like I have said before, I follow Optimus Prime and he allows us to have whoever we want, as long as we are happy.'' He yelped when Shockwave suddenly almost landed on top of him, encasing him with his strong arms and looking at him with both love and lust through his single optic.

''Then I believe it is time we catch up, my sweet Blurr.'' He said while tweaking one of Blurr's sensitive wires beneath his armor seams. The smaller mech gasped in pleasure, instantly wrapping his servos around Shockwave's neck cables and trying to draw him closer. ''So impatient.'' He whispered in his audios, causing Blurr to shiver.

''Shock... wave...''

From Blurr's room, for the rest of the night only pleasurable cries could be heard.

00000

''Although you didn't need to follow me to my room, thank you, Lockdown.'' Prowl said as the bounty hunter leaned against his door frame.

Lockdown just grinned at the sexy two-wheeler, raking his red optics over the slim frame and sighing inwardly at how little progress he was making with the other cyber ninja. ''It was a pleasure, babe.''

''Hm, I'm sure.'' Prowl flatly told him, knowing that the green and black mech had been checking him out the whole way down. It made him a bit hot and bothered, but that might also be because of the high grade. He may have mastered Processor-over-matter but that didn't make him any less immune to the effects of high grade.

And it was the slight charge he will blame in the morning for not pushing Lockdown away when the bounty hunter leaned down and kissed him square on the lips, even daring to push his glossa into Prowl's intake. And he will definitely claim that he was overcharged for throwing his servos around Lockdown's neck cables and pulling him closer and returning the kiss like a drowning mech.

After all, no one can call him out on it, so he just let himself enjoy the brief make out season.

He just hopped Lockdown won't tease him too much.

00000

''What is the problem, Ultra?'' Sigma Supreme asked as his mentor paced his own captain's cabin. The blue and white Autobot Commander was pacing the length of the room, as he had been ever since the party ended. It had lasted long into the recharge cycle and no one had even noticed Optimus and Megatron have left until Blackarachnia had turned to ask the Prime something, only to see that he wasn't where he had been since the beginning of the celebration. Alpha Trion just told her he was with Megatron and Blackarachnia, Slipsream, Arcee and First Aid, who had dragged Starscream over as well, all squealed as they imagined all the hot things those two were getting up to.

''It is not a problem, per see, my friend.'' Ultra Magnus said as he finally stopped pacing and just plopped down on his berth like an unruly mechling thinking about their first lover while grounded. ''I just don't know how to handle the present situation.''

''What do you mean?'' The blue and silver shipformer asked his mentorbot. It was rare to see the other so bothered about something. He was always cool and collected, as if nothing can faze him, but Sigma had video images showing just how much his deactivation had hurt his friend. Ultra may not show his emotions almost as well as Perceptor hid them, but that did not mean he didn't have any.

''I have known for many centuries that I need only two mechs to feel happiness, but both were taken from me at one point or another. You and Megazarak. I have thought you both beyond my reach forever, deep in the Well of Allsparks, but then Optimus Prime showed his true colors and gave you back to me. You were the only reason I hadn't went after Megazarak when he was reported missing. You were onlined by then and I couldn't leave you. I was your mentorbot, like I still am to this day. Unlike with Megazarak, I share a bond with you. I didn't want to leave you. So I let Megazarak slip from my digits, not even trying to find him after he went after one of the DJD deserters. I thought... that if he had gone missing after that stunt, it was because the deserter had gotten to him...''

The Magnus chocked on his words, curling up on the berth as he remembered that despair at knowing that the mech his spark longed for might as well be offline, what with after whom he had gone after. It was no secret that Megazarak was going after anybot that was a threat for Decepticon functionality within their own ranks, hunting down all deserters or scientists that got a little too wise regarding to whom they should give their research. It was his way of seeking redemption with Megatron, because he had attacked his younger spark twin, if the rumors were to be believed. Megatron had been warning him about something and the other hadn't wanted to believe him and decided to try and punish his brother by attacking him. Megatron's most loyal protected him and those two fought, ending in the current Decepticon Lord's victory and Megazarak's exile. Then Magnus had met him when he was still only a young Major when he attacked the Council and he stopped him from offlining everyone in that room. When he learned of what his fate was to be, Ultra had asked Alpha Trion for help and the old mech was more than happy to help him. They freed Megazarak and snuck him out of Iacon without trouble, using old tunnels that run under the city. Only Trion knew the way and the tunnels were not lit and all were identical so there was no way for Megazarak to use this information to get back in his twin's favor.

He had thought that that would be the last time he will see the alluring, dangerous ex-Lord of Decepticons, so imagine his surprise when he got an encoded message from Megazarak just a few solar cycles later, the warframe asking for them to meet. He had went, expecting a battle, but the other had instead prepared a picnic for them to share. They met a few more times, Megazarak growing bolder each time and Ultra giving in bit by bit until they finally spent a long night of passion under Cybertron's six moons.

Megazarak started calling more often after that, but after two stellar cycles he was forced to change his frequency because some idiotic Autobot Councilmech had placed a bounty on his head and the hunters had gotten a hold of his communications. He never heard from him again, although he did hear _of_ him. But then, after Megazarak hunted down the bot who had put a bounty on him, the ex-Decepticon Lord went after that one DJD deserter and he was never heard from or of again. Those bots were monsters and although the one Megazarak went after was reported dead, it was widely believed that he had taken Megazarak down with him, or vice versa.

Ultra was Magnus by then for many vorns, winning and losing battles against his secret lover's own brother. The Omega Project had already started, all of the Supremes were active and he had a war machine sparkling to look after. It would have been beyond suspicious if the Autobot Supreme Commander had insisted on going to look for a former Decepticon, no matter how many Decepticon deserters or double agents he had taken down. He was a Con and he was dangerous, so he was to be left to his fate. Knowing that Alpha Trion always knew things he should have no ways of knowing, the still relatively young Magnus had begged him to check, to use whatever connections he had to find Megazarak. The old mech, seeing his desperation, had complied and took out an old brown book he still always carried around and looked through it.

According to Trion, Megazarak had disappeared near Carminus, but there are no signs of either his survival nor of his death.

Brokensparked, the Magnus had became reserved around others, rarely ever showing emotion. Only Sigma now wormed his spark and later on, the loss of the shipformer had left him cold and almost apathetic. Then, some time after the official end of the war, along came a little red, blue and silver sparkling he often saw with the old mech, who had by then grew to disapprove of the Magnus's new attitude and lack of respect towards the lives his Autobots were giving up for him in the accursed war, even if it was at a standstill then. The sparkling gave off such light and innocence that the Magnus wanted that little creature closer, so he had observed him and when he had seen that he had qualities of a warrior to him and a great scholar, he had taken the chance and accepted him to the Academy.

Alpha Trion had been about as thrilled as he had been by Magnus's most recent suggestion of Optimus prospering by his side as a politician.

Optimus quickly climbed the ranks and became the ideal cadet, an inspiration for all and Ultra saw traces of a great leader in him, so he had proclaimed to the Council, should the young mech continue on like this, he will be named the next Magnus as soon as he finished the Academy. Then tragedy struck, Elita One was lost, Sentinel blamed Optimus and the young cadet had readily taken the blame in his guilty state.

Not wanting the other to forever be lost to the Autobot cause, Magnus had decided to give him a team and a ship. The Orion had been in a scraped up state and his crew were all washouts for incompetence rather than Optimus's own situation. At one point, while Alpha Trion was demanding and threatening him to let him see his wrongly accused charge, Ultra had felt vindictive about Optimus's sentence. The feeling had lasted ever since, going so far as to tell the other he was not programed to be a hero.

But he had been right, about that. Optimus was not programmed to be a hero. He was _born_ for it!

However, when the Orion was lost to them, Ultra Magnus didn't quite know what to feel. On one servo, they had just lost the Allspark after centuries of it being absent from Cybertron, but on the other, they had just lost the remains of an Omega Sentinel and his mentorbot, two younglings, a cyber ninja (who had always been rare, but especially now after Yoketron's death) and a candidate for the future Magnus unlike any had seen before.

Ultra knew that he probably never would have went to look for the young Prime had it not been for the old Archivist, who had called in a favor for all things concerning Megazarak, and the Allspark. He was ashamed of it now, as well as of his treatment of the young bot. He should have believed him, should have sent some reinforcements since Megatron himself was there or at least given them more supplies and weapons, but it had seemed like Optimus hadn't needed it. The young Prime had done something no one had ever accomplished before, and that was taking on Megatron and his loyal lieutenants on in battle and defeating them.

Optimus had always been good at fighting Megatron in VR, but he had fought the tyrant _in person_ , in real life, _on his own_ , and he had _won_ , _twice_! Later on, he won _two more times_ , further proving himself and becoming Cybertron's young hero and protector.

And then he was kidnapped and everyone went out searching for him and now that they found him, Optimus revived Sigma for him and Megatron brought him into the situation he was in at this moment, curled up on his berth like a sparkling.

''But he is not?'' Sigma asked gently.

Ultra chuckled bitterly. ''No. He kept in contact with Megatron, only talking with him from time to time, but still... Megatron gave me Megazarak's frequency and I don't know... weather I should call or not... Weather he had moved on and forgotten me or still dreamed of our happy moments like I still do.''

A moment of silence as Sigma's limited processor analyzed this. Finally, he asked. ''Do you want to call him?''

''Oh, more than almost anything, Sigma.'' He groaned and rolled over onto his back again, a servo over his optics. How out of character of him, to act like this. But, it is not every day that you were offered a second chance with your love. Was this how Shockwve felt every time Blurr smiled at him now? Or Sentinel, whenever Blackarachnia brushed hands or bumped shoulders with him? The thought that you just might get your other half back, soon, if you play your cards right?

''Then call him.''

Blue optics locked on the ceiling. ''And if he doesn't want to talk with me?''

''Then make him want to talk with you.'' Sigma said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and the Magnus began to wonder if whatever energies the Allspark released when it revived Omega Sentinels somehow allowed their processors to develop for the first time. All three Supremes seemed more mature as of late, but it could all also be attributed to the weird things that always happened around them all in the past two decacycles. ''You're Ultra Mahnus. You made him interested once, you can do it again.''

The blue and white mech smiled slightly at that. His friend was right. It was Ultra who had interested Megazarak in the first place and form what he had learned recently, Decepticons don't fall out of love easily. ''You are right, old friend. I will call him right now.''

Eager to hear the voice that had been denied to him for centuries, Magnus immediately dialed the frequency, not even stopping to think just what time it was and that others might be sleeping. After a breem of hailing the frequency, Ultra's patience and persistence was reworded with a gruff and annoying reply snapped over the comms. ::Who the _frag_ is this? What do you slagging want? And do you have _any_ idea of what time it is!?::

Ultra Magnus's intakes hitched. ::Megazarak?:: He asked, almost meekly.

Another breem of silence answered him. ::Ultra? Primus, this better not be another recharge flux or I swear I will-::

The Autobot laughed, stopping the rant. ::It is not. Or at least, I hope it is not. It is... good to hear your voice once again, Megazarak.::

::So formal.:: The Decepticon teased, making the Magnus bite down a blush that would show all too clearly on his white faceplates. ::How have you been?::

::You didn't call. EVER.:: Ultra accused and could almost see the wince, making him immensely satisfied.

::Sorry, sorry!::

::But, regardless, I have been good. You?::

::Fine, actually. Have to hide for now, but oh well. Now, how did you even get this frequency?::

Ultra smirked as he sent him a picture of Megatron whispering into Optimus Prime's audios while holding the red and blue bot close. ::Megatron gave it to me.::

::Slag, he can pick 'em almost as well as I can!:: Ultra blushed at the subtle compliment. ::Is he love-sick?::

::Like you wouldn't believe.:: Megazarak laughed, Ultra drinking in the sound like a thirsty man did water after a month in the desert.

They spent the rest of the night talking, Ultra never even noticing that morning had come.

00000

''You truly are made by Primus himself, Optimus.'' Megatron breathed as he kissed down the Prime's neck cables. The red and blue bot beneath him moan and shivered at the treatment he was given, arching into the bigger mech's touch, wanting more. ''So beautiful.'' The Decepticon nipped at a red shoulder, causing Optimus to cry out at the mixed sensation of pain and pleasure. And when it was suckled upon, he mewled, throwing his arms around the warlord's neck and tugging him up for a fierce kiss.

Megatron happily returned the heated kiss, soon thrusting his large glossa into Optimus's mouth, tasting the Prime's own unique flavor and the high grade he had been drinking. He growled when Optimus suckled on his glossa and in turn nibbled on those lush blue lips. He enjoyed the sounds his every touch tore out of the younger bot, his interface array hot and uncomfortable but he wasn't going to rush this. No, he was going to make sure Optimus never forgets this night, even if it will be the first of many.

When Optimus pulled away so he could get in more cool air into his overheating frame, Megatron moved down to his windshields and started licking the black glass, getting more moans and mewls from his soon-to-be-bonded. Optimus arched into the talented glossa, running his blue servos over Megatron's wide, strong, armored shoulder struts. The black servos tweaked at wiring underneath heated plating, causing another cry of pleasure.

''Me-Megatron!'' His processor was becoming hazy with the pleasure, lust clouding his thoughts and his optics were shimmering. He could feel the sparks that were dancing over his circuitry when Megatron took one of his blue fingers into his mouth, laving great attention on the digit. That glossa was going to be the death of him! Optimus threw his helm back when Megatron's free hand stroked over his codpiece. His optics flashed so brightly, the Prime wondered if he had gone blind when all he could see for a few second was white.

A click rang out through the room.

Megatron stopped his sinful ministrations to look down the red chassis, to the black and silver abdomen and down the blue codpiece only to settle on the now open interface array. His red optics darkened with lust and without hesitation, he slid down those wonderful silver thighs and settled himself so that his helm was aligned with the exposed valve. It's plush lips were a soft blue color, lighter than even Optimus's face, and lubricants were already gushing past them, the Prime's arousal quite obvious. A purr escaped the warlord's lips and he flicked his glossa out, taking his first taste of that little port.

A cry tore itself from Optimus's vocalizer at the action, pleasure surging through his whole frame from that one tough. The clever tongue didn't stop at that, instead it lapped up all the juices that had already escaped the valve lips, eating from the valve as if it was a pot of energy goodies. The red and blue mech started squirming under these new sensations, mewling and whimpering. Megatron was obviously enjoying the sounds his little lover was producing and he stepped things up a bit when he thrust his glossa deep into the valve, going as far as it can. Optimus wrapped his legs around the Decepticon's head and moaned.

He knew he wasn't going to last long. He had never done something like this before, even when he was by himself. He had never touched himself, never explored his frame like others his age had already long ago done. He never saw the need to. Must be his Prime nature that didn't require him to relieve tension in such a way. Besides, Optimus wasn't going to lie to himself and deny being a hopeless romantic. He had always fantasized about his first time being with a mech he would love and eventually bond with. Elita and Sentinel thought him naive and silly for such dreams but here he was, going to get what he had always wanted, anyway.

Megatron could tell that his lover wont last long from how hard he was shaking. It had started out lightly but the more he licked at the oh so delicious valve, the more those silver thighs tightened and the red plating rattled. Knowing that things will go a lot easier after an overload or two, Megatron took one of the valve lips between his derma and nipped at it, before purring at the cry it earned him. He then decided to be merciful and he placed his intake directly over the outer node and _sucked_ until Optimus screamed his name with his first overload. He lapped up all the lubricants that gushed out, drinking it up like the best high grade he had ever tasted, leaving the valve lips swollen.

''You taste so deliciously, my Prime.''

Optimus flushed at the comment, raising a servo over his optics and face, not wanting the other to see his inflamed faceplates. A gentle black servo gripped his wrist and tenderly drew the servo away, kissing his mate-to-be and allowing the smaller mech to taste himself from the warlord's own tongue. Optimus thought it a strange taste but still enjoyed the kiss immensely, throwing his arms around Megatron again.

While he kept the younger bot distracted with his intake, Megatron brushed his digits over the valve, caressing the ridge and massaging the lips. Then a single finger dove slowly into the port like his glossa did into the Prime's mouth. Their kiss muffled Optimus's discomforted groan and the black digit got to work, slowly stroking the inside walls of that heavenly, warm and tight bliss. Megatron growled as he imagined that tight, wet heat surrounding his tick and throbbing spike. He worked the finger carefully, not wanting to hurt or upset his lover, who was clinging on to him, trying to adjust. It may be only one digit, but Megatron was considerably bigger than the Prime, and although all valves were built to be one size for all, it was still going to be a tight fit if he wasn't properly prepared. At least the first time. The Cyertronian valve can remember the configuration the calipers needed to accept the spike of a frequent partner and thus every next interface only needed slight preparation before they can get to the really fun stuff.

Optimus blushed when every thrust of the digit made a squelching noise, sounding so dirty yet sexy that Optimus barely held back a groan as he felt his arousal coming back anew. He bit his lower lip when a second finger soon joined the first, the stretch easier to take since his valve was producing more lubricants with the return of his lustful haze.

Megatron kissed the Prime's shoulder, pleased to see no Autobot symbol. He hissed when blunt digits dug under his plating, finding one of his very sensitive wires over his flight engine. ''You have quite clever digits, sweetspark.'' He seductively told the younger, moving up to nip at an audio finial, making the Prime shiver all over again. He traced his big servo over the chest presented over him, feeling the strong pulse of the spark hidden within and purring at the thought of that young, beautiful spark soon being his. Optimus arched into his tender hand, his own digits playing over the silver plating on the Con's back.

''Sa-say's you.'' Was all he could ground out, pleasure rising to those unbearable levels once again. If this continued on, he was going to overload again! And just as that thought crossed his processor, a third digit joined its companions in his valve, stretching him even more and Optimus arched like a true pleasure bot.''M-Megatron! Mo-re!''

The way the other called his name nearly drove Megatron crazy and he showed the other just how much he had enjoyed it by moving his finger faster, earning mews and whimpers, before adding another digit, which got his yelp of pain that turned into a deep moan. Optimus was now completely incoherent, just trying to get out that he wouldn't last long, but his bigger lover wasn't relenting. If anything, he redoubled his efforts, soon drawing out a second overload from the young mech beneath him. Seeing that his partner was ready and still in post overload haze, Megatron withdrew all but one digit, which he pushed in up to his knuckle. When he felt the soft, metal barrier that indicated his lover was a virgin, Megatron carefully broke the seal and, curving his finger a bit, dislodged it from its place in the mech's valve. He had learned over the many vorns of interfacing that it was always better to remove the seal like this rather than break it by driving into the valve like a madmech.

Optimus didn't even whimper at the removal of his seal, more peeved by the fact that Megatron had pinned him to the berth and hadn't let hi up at all. Deciding enough was enough, the Prime took matters into his own servos and using his recently remembered incredible strength (for his size, especially), he quickly flipped their positions until it was Megatron on his back and Optimus the one straddling his lover. Optimus purred at the sight, finally able to move his servos freely over that strong frame and enjoy the many reactions he could draw out of the Decepticon warlord.

Said Decepticon warlord had gotten over his surprise quite quickly and was now enjoying the view of his lover's valve pressed to his abdominal plating, but he soon lost sight of it as Optimus leaned down, kissing his jawline and running his small servos over his big chest. The change in positioning caused Optimus to slide down a little, making him squirm as he got wet fro the third time that recharge cycle. Megatron just purred and allowed the younger bot to explore... For now.

Megatron grinned when he was lavished such tender affection by his love as the blue hands explored his chestplates, his shoulder struts and down his strong arms, soon enough taking one of his servos up to his face and drawing a digit in that lovely mouth of his, copying Megatron's earlier action while shooting a coy look at the Decepticon. Deciding that the other was getting a little cheeky for teasing him so, Megatron used his free servo to grope that pet blue aft before slapping it. Optimus moaned, the digit slipping out accidentally. ''Do that again!''

Megatron's grin turned sly. ''Oh, you mean thins?'' He slapped his aft again, making the red and blue bot arch. He did this a few more times, Optimus a mewling mess on his chest by the time he had stopped, and reversed their positions so he was on top again. Optimus just tugged him back into a heated kiss, opening his intake as soon as their dermas touched and Megatron took the invitation all too happily. He pushed four digits back into that tight valve, checking to see if the walls were stretched enough before drawing out of the kiss.

Optimus whined at the loss, but when he saw Megatron retracting his own codpiece to reveal a big, hard, throbbing spike, ready for action, his intake suddenly grew dry and he could only stare and wonder if that gigantic spike could even fit in his port. His slight fear must have shown because Megatron stroked his helm, touching their foreheads together. ''I'll be gentle.'' He promised and the other nodded, trusting him completely. Megatron smiled at the red and blue bot before positioning himself, never breaking optic contact with the smaller mech.

Despite the size difference, Megatron was able to slide in easily due to properly preparing his partner. Optimus still felt slight discomfort bordering on pain but it wasn't so bad that it drowned out the pleasure of being filled so fully. He did whimper when Megatron reached where his seal had been, the Decepticon still having quite a bit of his length out. That place was still a little tender from the seal being removed, even if he had not even felt the removal when it had happened. The stretch was starting to feel even better the deeper Megatron went and by the time that thick spike was all the way in that it was touching the beginning of his gestation chamber, Optimus's abdominal plating was bulged from the spike and the bottom mech was impatient for the fun to start.

Not being able to hold back for much longer, Megatron looked to Optimus for the go ahead and as soon as he got it, he drew back his hips slowly only to thrust in hard. Optimus squealed from the sensation before he started moaning, the feeling of that spike passing over all of his sensitive nods too much pleasure for the Prime to hold in his reactions.

They set a steady rhythm, both wanting to take it slow but their desire and lust were making it quite hard. Megatron would speed up to such a degree that Optimus couldn't follow his lead and just when it was closing to his third overload, the Decepticon would remember himself and slow down, driving the Prime mad at being so blatantly denied sweet release. Megatron would just smirk at him and kiss his leisurely before resuming the slow pace. And just when the Prime would be driven to overload by that torturous pace, Megatron would stop moving so he could kiss Optimus so passionately, the youngest Prime was left disoriented for a few breems, then he would continue moving.

Optimus had tried to make him go faster, of course, by bucking back into the black hips and wrapping his stabilizers around the Decepticon leader's waist, but Megatron would just play with his finials and the Prime lost.

Eventually, Optimus did reach his long awaited overload, crying out Megatron's name so loud everyone on Sigma must have heard him and wasn't Megatron just oh so smug about that. However, being a virgin and having overloaded twice had seeped Optimus of more energy and he didn't have the stamina to hold out longer, but being so oversensitive from their earlier activities, he was easy to arouse, as Megatron delightfully found out. He managed to make Optimus overload two more times before he felt himself coming closer to the edge.

Optimus was so exhausted by then but he still wanted more, addicted to that feeling of letting everything go. He, too, could tell at this point that Megatron was finally ready to reach his peak and Optimus couldn't believe how lucky he was regarding who was going to be his lifelong interfacing partner. One thing was for sure: Optimus will never be unsatisfied in the berth!

Megatron's movements were becoming erratic, less controlled and he often thrust in a lot harder than he would have dared before with such a small partner, but Optimus took it all in stride and begged for more. His thrusts were getting quicker and quicker and Megatron realized now was the time. He kissed Optimus and tapped his windshield. ''Open for me, Optimus Prime.''

Hearing his birth title broke Optimus out of his dazed state enough for him to realize that if he opened his chestpaltes now, Megatron would see the Matrix of Leadership and discover his Prime origins and might get mad at him for keeping it all a secret instead of telling him like he had promised. He might even be furious enough to be disgusted with Optimus and not want to complete the bond! Optimus knew he would never live through that. He loved the big gray Decepticon, had for most of his function and he knew that this rejection might just kill him inside.

The Matrix immediately reacted to his distress and a warmth coming from his very core soothed the fears away. It allowed him to think and Optimus decided on a course of action. Reaching up for the Decepticon, Optimus tugged him down for a kiss. Megatron followed his lead, still thrusting in and out, in and out, brining them ever closer to the edge. A hiss and a whir was heard as Optimus opened his plating and Megatron, realizing that his lover might be a romantic and wanted them to bond while both interfacing and kissing, also opened his chestplates.

The light pouring from Megatron's spark was blue-purplish while Optimus's spark and the Matrix lit up the room with blue, white and gold light. Both mechs gasped and closed their optics as the energies of their sparks reached for each other, Optimus's reaching from beyond the Matrix of Leadership through the butterfly and foot like openings on the relic present for this very reason. The lights and energies waved together, memories and feelings overlapping with one another, connecting them in body, mind and spark, for the rest of eternity. The light flared one more time, when the bond was established as more than a temporary link for pleasure, but rather a bond for and of love. Overload hit them like a tidal wave and they called out each others names.

When they came down from their high, their chestplates were already closed, for which Optimus was immensely thankful for, but their bodies were still locked together and sparks were dancing over their seams. If Optimus moved a little, he could both hear and feel the slosh of Megatron's transfluids in his port, making him blush as he realized he had really done it. No, _they_ had really done it! They were bonded now. No more secrets and no more lies... It made Optimus feel sad and like he was cheating on Megatron, because the Matrix will protect the stored knowledge of the Primes and Optimus's own origins from the gray, black and red mech. Still, he will be able to feel Optimus's emotions and his presence, as well as communicate with him without the use of the comms.

He could already feel the older (Or was he even really older? I mean, Optimus _was_ born before the beginning of time, making him the older one... Except in frame... And interface experience...) mech at the back of his processor and he sent love and affection and happiness to him over their new bond, getting back the same emotions, including one he had not thought the Decepticon could ever enjoy. Peace. Meagron was at peace right now, all because he held Optimus...

''That was... wow... That was amazing.'' Optimus finally gathered enough air, and processor, to say, earning him and affectionate chuckle from the mech still inside him and above him. When Megatron tried to move out, though, they found themselves in a whole new predicament. They were locked, an ancient mechanism when two bonded Cybertronians reach overload together. It had stopped being in, uh, 'use' due to all spikes left on Cybertron actually being added mods Autobots made so that they could have the same experience as the Decepticons. They were directly connected into the valve, the sensors on the fake spike picking up the feeling and transferring it to the natural nods in the valve's walls and thus ''proving'' that Autobots don't need Decepticons for one more thing... Or that's what Sentinel had said when he had gotten himself the mod to impress Elita. Optimus had teased him about whenever the blue and orange bot tried to mock Optimus for something while they were still friends, making Elita laugh at their childish comebacks. It won him many arguments and he wasn't above using it now, if Sentinel really asked for it.

''It would seem that we have to stay like this. Are you alright, though? Can you recharge like this?'' Megatron asked worriedly and Optimus smiled at him, loving this side of the supposed emotionless monster of a tyrant.

''I'm fine, both physically and with recharging like this.''

Megatron nuzzled his bonded as the exhausted red and blue bot started falling into recharge after all that activity. ''I love you, Optimus Prime.''

The other just snuggled closer to the Decepticon as he turned them so he was on his back and Optimus was using his chest for a pillow. ''Love you, too.'' Was all he said before he fell into recharge, not seeing Megatron contentedly and lovingly watching over him for another five breems before recharge took the warlord as well.

00000

Alpha Trion rubbed his forehelm tiredly as he read the same page over and over again, hoping it would change but everything stayed the same.

His time was up. Primus would soon get another of his precious children back and only one Prime will remain to bear the burden of a whole species. Nothing can be done to change this. He had joors, really, to enjoy what little time he had left with his youngest brother, before he met his fate. Optimus will be devastated, but that was why Alpha Trion had encouraged he younger Prime to bond with Megatron. He knew that the Decepticon warlord will take care of Optimus and he was certain that Optimus will bring peace and unity in a matter of solar cycles.

It's just too bad that Alpha Trion won't be there to see it.

The old Archivist, the first one actually, closed the brown book that is the Covenant of Primus and put it back in his subspace. Trion walked over to the same window he had been staring out through while they waited for Optimus, but he was facing a different direction, looking out into what looked to be empty space but was rather the path their enemies and his murderer will take to reach them.


	28. Chapter 28

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: Hi there! Here comes another chapter!**

 **Wow! 28 chapter already! This really is going fast, quicker than any other multi-chapter story I've written so far. I'm rather pleased.**

 **Anyway, last chapter we had Optimus and Megatron finally doing the deed and I finally answered many inquiries about Megazarak. We left off Alpha Trion in a brooding mood and Lockdown finally got to kiss Prowl! Sentinel actually turned out to be a lot less of a douche than how he started out in this story and you found out just what it is that Optimus had brought back... Surprised? I sure hope so.**

 **The reason I am writing this long note, which is rather informative but not all too necessary, is because I thought it good to let you know just what inspired this story and where I get some of this stuff. First off, it is inspired by various Transformers continuities, mostly TFA and TFP, which are my two favorite besides the Michle Bay movies. Also, quite a few fanfics I've read or pictures I've seen inspired me, such as:**

 **Battlesleep by Reyairia and zuzeca - I fell in love with the Megazarak/Ultra Magnus pairing because of this story! It also inspired the born and sparked Cybertronians and that the Decepticons only have spikes and the Autobots only have valves, unless they are born and thus have both (that last bit is all my imagination, hehe). I also got some of Optimus's defiance from here... Also, the whole Strika and Lugnut traumatizing someone. Ha ha ha, good times. The return and survival of Primal Major and the Axalon was also inspired from here, as well as Optimus and Blackarachnia possibly becoming friends again and Sentinel being shit of a Magnus until Ultra recovered... I won't spoil the story fro those who hadn't read it but would like to. ;)**

 **Consequence by Zekkass - From this story, I got the inspiration for some of Cybertron's past, such as the death of Starscream's wingmates, some of Optimus's attitude, his independence to either faction and Optimus taking in various Bots or Cons under his metaphorical wing... And him completely trashing the Elite Guard! XD**

 **The Brave Shall Heed The Call by MlleMusketeer - War-sims! This is where I've gotten the idea for war-sims, how good Megatron and Optimus are at them, Alpha Trion seeking Optimus out (although that is mostly from how I imagine him seeking out Orion Pax, who he had recognized as the Thirteenth Prime when the little archivist had come to the Hall of Records, according to the TFP wikia website), Optimus's tactical skills and his low self worth or confidence from times to times, as well as it being rare to survive the spark burnout after a bondmate dies.**

 **House Divided by spaceliquid - Quintessons. I had thought to give them some made up alien threat but I realized that if it were anyone else, short of Unicron, then the Cybertronians wouldn't really have much to fear and they're their greatest enemies, once again, short of Unicron. Megatron's farce of a trail, the bad effects of the Decepticon coding on the Jettwins and Optimus becoming their somewhat trine leader are all from here, as well as the rescue attempt that turned out unneeded.**

 **Wolf By the Ears by** **Thornwitch - Starscream's descent into madness and unloyalty, the slave coding (although it comes from a few other TFP fics as well) and a few other things...**

 **I really recommend all of theses stories. I had a blast reading them and all that. But it wasn't just these fics and TF continuities that had inspired this, it has also been the Covenant of Primus. I don't have it nor have I read the whole thing, but I have read enough of the actual book and the descriptions to understand and remember some of the stories and the ''history'' of Cybertron. One of the examples is the appearance of the Primes. If you look closely and carefully enough at them, you'll see that most of them have visible marks of Prime glyphs over parts of their bodies, as well as that they all have audio finials, as well as some sort or form of a crest on their foreheads, like Optimus does, though more like TFP Optimus than any other. Some of the artifacts are described in the covenant and others I described how I saw in pictures, while some are completely made up.**

 **The Hunter sword was inspired by Optimus Prime's sword from Transformers 4 and 5 while its power, and name to an extent, was based off of the weapons called the Decepticon Hunters from Transformers: Robots in Disguise. Look it up. :)**

 **The Matrix of Leadership is the design from TFP, because the Allspark Matrix looked like the Matrix of Leadership does in most other TF continuities so I decided that the TFP Matrix is different enough for it to be the Matrix of Leadership, while the Origin Matrix looks like, at least in my story, like the Matrix of Leadership does in the Michel Bay Movies... I hope you got that because I got confused for a second and I'm the one writing it.**

 **The Badge of Vector Prime is similar to the Autobot insignia, but I imagine it to be more like the design in the Council Chambers from TFP when Orion Pax and Megatron presented their idea of a better Cybertron...**

 **The glyph on Optimus's audials is taken from the Michal Bay Movies, where you can clearly see them on that rotating circle part of his audio receptors. It's a symbol that represents a Prime and it is what made Optimus a Prime when they had accidentally discovered it on him during one of the digs (yes, Optimus Prime used to be an archaeologist in that continuity). It looks something like this:**

 **3 Tユ**  
 **L l L '**

 **or**

 **3** **Ћ**  
 **L l L '**

 **It's not the most accurate, but seeing as with what I can work with, I think in turned out Okay. You can look the glyph up if you just type in ''language of the primes'' and you'll get to see a whole alphabet of these glyphs. They're all from the movies, mostly seen either on Optimus's body, in Sam's visions induced by the Allspark or on the Allspark itself.**

 **That's that, for now! Please excuse the long note and I hope you enjoy this new chapter!**

 **Warning: Mentions of sexual acts and craziness, angst and major character death. You have been warned.**

The first one to wake up was Ratchet and he headed straight for Alpha Supreme's dining room of sorts, meeting Roller there a few minutes later. It looked like a nice morning and he felt rather well rested, since he had finally been able to relax somewhat last night. The Minicon soon started preparing the morning refueling cubes and oil tanks when Artemis and Slipstream walked in. The rest of her brothers had slept on the floor of the entertainment room, which was adjoined to this one, separated only by something that looked like a bar. They wren't the only ones who had gotten wasted and fell asleep in strange places, but they were probably the only ones Slipstream cared about.

''Morning.'' She and Artemis greeted as they sat at the table with Ratchet, all three watching Roller going about like he usually did in the mornings, caring for everyone. ''Sleep well?'' Artemis continued, wondering if he should help the Minicon but resisted since the smaller mech liked doing this on his own.

''Yes. Now that I don't have to worry about Optimus or the Decepticons turning on us, I feel as if we can get rid of the squids with one blow.''

''I know the feelin'.'' Jazz startled them from the doorway. The white ninja bot raised his servos in apology and joined them. ''After seein' the affection Megs has for OP and seeing SP and Blackarachnia reconcile, not to mention Megs and UM making nice, I think we migh' be able to pull off OP's crazy dream and unite Cybertron.''

The others nodded, but the medics in Ratchet and Artemis focused on something else. ''Jazz, did you get _any_ recharge last night, kid?''

Jazz groaned before dropping his helm onto the table. ''That obvious, huh?''

''To a trained optic, yes.'' Artemis said as he raked his green optics over the cyber ninja and confirming that it really was just the lack of rest. Better to be sure than sorry. ''What happened after the party broke off?''

''Ya know how Lugnut and Strika are consorts, righ'?'' He was greeted with three nods, Roller not interested in gossip but listening. ''And ya know that Cyclonus and Hot Rod Prime had started datin', righ'?'' Again nods. ''Brawn and Hot Shot?'' Nods. ''Well, they've all been facin' the night away and they are _loud_! The whole ship was vibrating from their screams and moans and groans and I have no idea how the others had slept, but I had snuck onto Omega and tried to sneak into Prowl's room so we can bunk, ya know. Only _Lockdown_ was there and he chased me out. I ended up bunking on yer couch, Ratch, I hope you don't mind.''

''Were they _interfacing_ on _my_ ship?!'' Ratchet's tone promised retribution and Jazz shivered in pity at the poor fraggers that ever pissed the medic off.

''I don't think so?'' Was the weak answer and Ratchet swore he will hunt those two down and make them fess up. He needs to know whether or not he needs to explain interfacing to Omega. He didn't want to be caught off guard.

''It wasn't any better here. The big-chinned fool and Blackarachnia made out for hours before they just fell asleep,'' Slipstream pointed over her wing at the recharging couple on the couch. ''Shockwave and Blurr fragged the scrap out of each other and I am pretty sure Optimus won't be able to walk for a week.''

''He better be able to, or I'll personally castrate Megatron.'' Ratchet growled and thankfully took a cube from Roller, who beeped in agreement. ''We need him in prime condition, not limping from too much rough fragging.''

''You do realize you're speaking in the presence of a sparkling, right?'' Artemis reminded, knowing Optimus would be pissed about the language they were using.

''He's been living with a Decepticon. Do you honestly want me to believe Alpha Supreme doesn't know any cuss words?'' Was the challenge.

''He most certainly doesn't!'' Slipstream protested. ''Optimus threatened us all with washing our mouths out with solvents if we so much as start a cuss word, so we listened and didn't. Instead, we learned to use more civilized ways to express our displeasure at something.''

''Do I want to know?''

''Not really.'' Was all the femme said with a big grin.

''Good morning, everyone. I hope you have all had a pleasant recharge cycle.'' The occupants of the room all jumped and whipped around, their jaws dropping at the sight of a smiling, although twas smile and gentle it was still _there_ , relaxed Ultra Magnus, standing there, in the doorway, as if just appreciating the sight of such peace and familiarity between Autobots and Decepticons (and a Quintesson and Minicon).

''Good morning, Ultra Magnus, sir!'' Like a true cadet, Sentinel jumped off of the couch in the other room and sprinted in front of the Magnus, saluting his Commander as if he was still in the Academy. They heard cursing coming from where Sentinel had just ran in from and the blue Prime froze as he realized just what had happened in his mad dash for his Commanding Officer.

''SENTINEL!'' Blackarachnia's voice shook the ship as said spider stalked into the room, her spider legs on her shoulders tense, ramrod upright and ready to strike while her faceplates were forming a terrifying scowl.

Sentinel gulped, moving away from her as she advanced. ''Listen, 'Lita, I'm sorry! It was an accident, honest!''

She snapped her neck to her left shoulder than the right like a boxer would before starting a fight. ''Oh, don't you _worry_ , Sentinel. I _believe_ you.''

''You do?'' The blue bot asked meekly but hopefully. Usually, he would have to run to Optimus so the femme wouldn't offline him if he woke her in the mornings. Maybe he's gotten lucky this time?

''Oh, _yes_! So instead of killing you, I'll just beat you until you're on the threshold of death!'' She lunged and Sentinel screamed like a little girl, ducking behind the Magnus. The femme just pushed the bigger blue bot out of the way and Sentinel screamed a second time, making a run for it towards Optimus's room. ''Come back here, you little cowardly piece of Autobot _scum_!'' Blackarachnia raced after him, cursing his sparking day all the way and the Prime calling out to Optimus to wake the frag up.

''Well... that was interesting.'' Lockdown commented as he carried in a still sleepy Prowl, sitting down on one of the empty chairs and putting the smaller ninja in his lap before taking two cubes from Roller. ''C'mon babe, time to wake up.''

''Don't want to.'' Was all the black and gold ninja bot said before burying his faceplate against the bounty hunter's chastpalte and nodding off again. Lockdown just grinned down at him and took his first sip of energon. When he noticed the others staring at them, he glared a little and snapped at them. ''What!?''

''Did you _do_ it, on _my_ ship?'' Ratchet snapped back, no at all liking the fact that this piece of slag had gotten involved with one of his friends. If he was only playing with Prowl, Ratchet silently swore to himself that he will offline the fragger before he could reset his optics. And he'll make sure it hurts like Pit, too!

''What? Oh!'' Lockdown snickered. ''You mean did we frag on your ship, right?'' A slap is heard, making the hunter yelp. ''Hey!'' He threw an accusing look towards the just arrived Blurr, who had run up behind him and hit him on the helm with the full force of his momentum, and Shockwave, who was snickering at the other grounder Decepticon, standing in the doorway. ''What did you do that for!?'' He hissed when Prowl stirred in his sleep.

''No cursing on Alpha Supreme. We, as in I and Roller, have full authority to smack anyone who breaks this rule.''

''What about Slipstream and Artemis?''

''I'm allowed to smack them, too.'' Blurr said as he sat in Shockwave's lap when the Decepticon spy sat down at the table, Ultra Magnus following everyone's lead and doing the same so as not to be the ackward person standing.

''No, I mean, do they get to smack others, too?''

''If I and Roller are not around, then yes.''

''And Optimus?'' Ratchet asked with another sip of his energon.

''Does that bot even curse?'' Shockwave asked as he used his stretching ability and took two cubes, one jet fuel, and a few rust stick from Roller, who was on the other side of the room and startling to poor Minicon in the process. He looked at his little lover, confused, when Blurr smacked him as well. ''What?''

''Don't scare Roller.'' The Agent answered. ''It's another rule you get smacked for. And, no, he does not.''

''Is there a rule you won't get smacked for?'' Jazz asked, still not believing that Prowl had slept through the smacking and yelling. You would think that a ninja would snap awake the second he heard a particle of dust fall, but here Prowl was, out like a light.

''Apparently, if you brake a deal, you get tickled to death.'' Slipstream shrugged, leaning back in her seat and enjoying the peace for the moment. She had a feeling it won't last, so she was going to treasure it while it lasts.

''Doesn't that apply just to Blackarachnia?'' The bounty hunter asked, trying his hardest not to blush when Prowl wiggled in his lap and it made him a bit too excited.

''Do you want to risk deactivation by tickling just to find out?'' Strika asked sarcastically as she, Lugnut, Blitzwing, Cyclonus and Hot Rod walked in. Well, Random skipped in and Hot Rod couldn't walk due to, ahem, certain activities last night. Cyclonus, not at all ashamed at what he had accomplished, despite all the promises from his lover that it will never happen again, remains standing while he takes a cube for them both and Lugnut is quick to bring his beloved a cube as well, wondering why Roller more threw it at him than haded it over, since the little bot was always so nice.

''No, not really.'' Lockdown concedes. ''It would be humiliating, offlined by tickling at an Autobot's servo.'' He sneers, just imagining Swindle's obnoxious laughing. ''I always imagined that I'd offline either in the work field or in the berth.''

''You think you're going to reach old age?'' Artemis question, astonished by such sheer arrogance.

''No, I think I'm going to die in the sexiest possible way after a night of the wildest possible fragging.'' A smack resonates through the room a second time, louder. ''OW! Quit it!''

''Will you quiet down!? I'm trying to sleep here!'' Prowl growled before he hugged Lockdown's neck and burrowed his face into tick neck cables. Everyone stared at the cyber ninja for a moment until he settled back into deep recharge, then accusing eyes turned to the bounty hunter, who was just as stunned as the others.

''What did you to to him?'' Ratchet and Jazz growled, preparing their weapons.

''What? Nothing!''

''Then why is he acting like that?'' Strika asked, wanting to see the hunter dragged down a few pins. This was her kind of morning. Good energon, interesting company, Lugnut all but worshiping her feet and a fight brewing. The only thing missing is Lord Megatron screaming at someone for waking him up or Starscream bitching about not getting any. Ah, good times. If she had a real mouth, Strika would have grinned slyly.

''I believe I can answer that.'' Yoketron answered, stopping the fight before it can even begin and making Strika frown, because Decepticons don't pout. ''It has nothing to do with Lockdown. Well, I sure hope not.'' He raises an optic ridge at his former student, who quickly shakes his helm and rises his servos i the universal 'I'm honest' position. ''Prowl and high grade just don't mix, and while others make total fools of themselves under its effects, Prowl is just really hard to wake up in the morning.''

''Really?'' Jazz asked. ''Tha's it? When I get wasted, I can't walk straigh' to save ma life.''

''When I get wasted, I sing.'' The medic offered.

''I actually listen to Lugnut's odes to both myself and Lord Megatron when I get overcharged.'' Strika put in her own two shanix. ''The worst part is that I always remember them in the morning. One of the reasons I stopped drinking high grade.''

''I can't get overcharged.'' Blurr shrugged, allowing Shockwave to feed him a rust stick and altogether enjoying the other's attention.

''Lucky bot.'' Ultra Magnus sulks, actually _sulks_! ''When I drink too much, I purge my tanks for three hours straight while bawling about the war and the loses.''

''Okay, who drugged Ultra I-have-a-big-stick-up-my-tail-pipe-and-thus-don't-want-to-have-fun Magnus?'' A screechy voice from the doorway drew everyone's attention once again. There stood Starscream, accompanied by the two Autobot scientist, both of whom looked like they hadn't slept a wink last night.

''Excuse me, Starscream?'' The blue and white bot glared.

''You heard me, Magnus.''

''I am not high!'' He exclaimed.

''Then why did you smile when you entered?'' Ratchet continued, starting to doubt his Commander's sanity. ''I haven't seen a flicker of a smile on your faceplate for eons. What changed?'' And then they all got the shock of their function's when the Magnus actually blushed and turned his helm away like a bashful schoolgirl. ''Ultra Magnus, sir?'' The medic asked worriedly.

''Don't worry about him.'' A voice Ultra had grown to hate answered from the same window the other had spent the entirety of Optimus's mission in the asteroid field. ''He just got to call his sweetspark last night, after four million years of not hearing from him.''

The blue and white Autobot's jaw fell and his eye widened while the rest nearly fainted from shock or spat out their energon in surprise. ''How the frag do you know?!'' A smack. ''OW!'' He looked to Blurr, but the Agent was to gob-smacked to have moved at all, let alone smack him for his crude language. He whirled around to see the Jettwins standing behind him, scowls on their youthful faceplates.

''Not be cussing.'' Jetfire began.

''Or cursing.'' Jetstorm finished.

''On this ship.'' They said together before gravitating to Roller for their morning fuel, completely ignoring the fact they had just hit a commanding officer... Well, it's not as if they considered him as such anymore. Ultras Magnus ignored them for the time being and just glared at the ancient mech, who was laughing at the expression that had crossed the Autobot Supreme Commander's facplate a second ago.

''Well? Don't try me patience, Alpha Trion.''

Said bot snorted at him and accepted a cube from the Minicon, taking a seat by Strika and Lugnut. ''I know you, Magnus. You were only ever this giddy after talking with Megazarak.''

''What?!'' The Decepticons shrieked as loudly as the Autobots did, finally waking Prowl up and the black and gold cyber ninja jumped out of the bounty hunter's arms, turned away and walked over to Yoketron and Jazz, not daring to look at Lockdown.

''Who?'' Bumblebee, Bulkhead and Sari all asked as they entered, looking like they had spent an entire night playing video games.

They never did get an answer when they heard yelling and screaming coming from Optimus's corridor.

''YOU LITTLE PIECES OF SLAG! JUST WAIT UNTIL I GET MY SERVOS ON YOU! PRIMUS HIMSELF WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SAVE YOU AND YOU WILL FEAR ME MORE THAN YOU EVER COULD UNICRON!'' They could hear the sound of pounding pedesteps stalking towards their prey as the Decepticon leader bellowed at the intruders. The commotion woke up Slipstream's brothers and Skywarp started shaking, causing Thundercracker to draw him into his side.

''You're sleeping with a Con!?'' Sentinel screeched before yelping and they heard a loud thump. Optims widened at the implications and half of the room was tempted to run into the captain's chambers, had they not had enough common sense to not fear a Decepticon in a bad mood after spending the night with a lover. Everyone knew they were especially violent then, because they see it as a threat to their partner. ''Optimus! Help!''

''I can't believe you actually did it!'' Blackarachnia cackled, probably managing just fine to dodge the oncoming blows. ''You actually had the guts to sleep with your long time crush!''

''Long time?!'' Squeaked the blue Prime with the orange details.

''Since-''

''NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, AUTOBOT!'' Megatron snarled, rushing at them.

''So what are you? Lovers? Interfacing buddies? Or was it a one night stand?'' The femme continued, not at all minding the raging warlord trying to cut her to bits and pieces with his twin swords. ''Wait, he didn't force you, right?'' There was actual concern there and stunned silence followed the question until they heard a cannon powering up. ''Optimus?'' The charge build-up was loud enough to be heard from the dinning room and everyone wondered if there was malfunction with Megatron's Fusion Cannon. ''Where did you get that?'' There was fear now, almost palpable.

Alpha Trion's optics widened and he made a mad dash to Optimus's room. ''Optimus, don't!''

''You should know better than to insult one's bonded, Elita.'' Was the response that had everyone, even those who had ran after the old mech, freezing in place.

''Huh?'' Was the first, questioning answer from the femme.

Then: ''BONDED?!'' The screech was not just Sentinel's this time, but everybot's.

''You actually _bonded_ a Decepticreep!?'' Bumblebee, who had been the first to unfreeze asked as he skidded to a halt in front of Optimus's doors, only to back away when he saw a huge brownish-black cannon with the same strange symbols on it as Optimus's new sword has. ''Boss-bot? What _is_ that?''

''A blaster.''

''I can see that but where did you get it?''

''Optimus, are you fragging insane!?'' Alpha Trion ran in, stopping any further fighting. He stepped in front of the cannon, placing his old servos on its heating surface, staring into his angry and scared blue optics. ''Optimus?'' Just what had these two broke Optimus out of? He had seen this face a few times, the chilled expression and the attempts at fooling everyone into thinking he was fine when he was suffering. He had asked, but the younger Prime had never told him what he would see in his dreams simply because he didn't remember them. But why was he using such a lame excuse? Optimus wasn't a violent mech. _'Maybe it comes from his bonded's side?'_ It wouldn't be unheard of. In the first few days of the bond, the two personalities mixed until the sparks settled into the bond.

'' _Brother_?'' Optimus asked in a lost sort of voice, lowering the cannon. The fact he had spoken in their birth tongue made Alpha Trion rush to him and hug him, cannon and all. He ignored Megatron's warning growl and just tucked his youngest brother's helm against his shoulder. '' _Why am I alone_?''

'' _What are you talking about, brother_?''

'' _I saw Cybertron, but I was standing on in alone. You weren't there. I was so alone._ '' The red and blue Prime muttered, sounding in anguish and the Archivist tightened his grip even more, stunned with what he was hearing. How could the other possibly know this? He looked over to where they had hidden the Triptych Mask, which just happens to be over Megatron's shoulder, and wonders if the Matrix of Leadership had instigated the relic to show Optimus the truth, that there will only be one of the Thirteen to see this new peace. He then noticed Megatron's dark scowl and he tapped Optimus on his helm twice, causing the younger to snap out of the vision he must have seen and was still seeing. Tormented optics looked at him and Trion subtly gestured at the Requiem Blaster and understanding, Megatronus's legendary weapon of death and destruction was withdrawn.

''Optimus?'' Blackarachnia asked, the others still too stunned by what had happened and said mech's unexpected aggression. ''Why didn't you tell me you still had nightmares?''

Optimus looked at her with suddenly very old optics. ''They had stopped... for a while, I had thought them to be gone for good, but... Now, I realize just how foolish I was to believe this. Only difference is, I think I know what's the cause this time.'' He rubbed his face and stepped out of his brother's arms and went over to Megatron, who happily wrapped his own servos around the red and blue Prime, drawing him in close and kissing the top of his helm.

''Awww!'' The femmes, minus Strika, and even a few mechs, all melted at the tender scene, which only made the Requiem Blaster come back out and Optimus lifted it in perfect union with Megatron's Fusion Cannon, both glaring at their audience.

''Out.'' It was all they said and Artemis and Alpha Trion stated herding the others out as fast as they could, but Megatron called out to Ultra Magnus, making the other faction leader stop the progression when he turned to answer the call. He regretted it as soon as he saw the sly and smug look on Megatron's faceplate.

''How is my brother? I do hope you had called him.''

Those who had not heard that part of the morning conversation turned to the Magnus with slack jaws hitting the floor, optics almost as wide as they had been when Alpha Trion had walked in with the Decepticon High Command prisoners at his back.

''You're with a Decepticon, too!?'' Sentinel screeched, pointing an accusing finger at his commanding officer. ''How could you!?''

''You really do want to die, don't you, Autobot?'' Cyclonus commented, tightening his grip on his own Autobot lover, causing Hot Rod to blush at the possessive act. He could get used to this, if he was honest with himself. To all of this, the good, the bad and the crazy. And to the love that was slowly spreading through both factions. Huh, maybe Cybertron can be united? Who knew, right?

Well, apparently Optimus Prime did, as well as a few others.

''You can kill him. No one will miss him.'' Shockwave commented, standing flush against Blurr, who didn't mind at all the close proximity, only leaned in further into Shockwave's bulk.

''HEY!'' Sentinel turned to the spy and glared hard at him, but the Decepticon returned it tenfold, which was quite impressive since he only had one optic. ''Traitors don't get a say in this!''

''Sentinel, would you rather offline by sword or by blaster fire?'' Alpha Trion casually said as he got back to pushing everyone out. Blackarachnia, having more sense than her intended, grabbed him by an audio receptor and dragged him out like one would an unruly sparkling.

Magnus turned back to Megatron, noting that both cannons were once again lowered, Optimus's bigger and more dangerous looking one retreating under his plating. Just how had he fitted that thing in his subspace? He shook it off and decided to think about it later as he locked his blue optics with the Decepticon's red ones. ''I had called Megazarak.'' He ignores the squeal coming from the direction the femmes had left in and the happy smile on the smaller leader's lips. ''He is doing fine and sends his regards.''

''So formal.'' Megatron muttered, making Ultra stare at him in both embarrassment and shock that the two were so alike. Then again, they are split-spark twins. ''I pity my brother if that is how you have talked to him the entire time.''

''Megatron!'' The younger one smacked the Decepticon's helm by powering up his jetpack and flying up so he could reach it. Megatron glared at his bonded, but Optimus's irritated expression won the staring competition. ''That's rude and absolutely none of you business!''

''It is alright, Optimus Prime.'' Ultra said with a mischievous smile, causing red optics to narrow at him. ''He is only trying to act tough while he has been fretting over his brother's safety. Megatron's just trying to hide that he is a big softy on the inside.'' And with that, the Magnus ran out like a sparkling who had just pulled off the greatest prank ever.

''MAGNUS!'' The Fusion Cannon powered up again and the tyrant made to chase after him, but his bonded stood in his way and he was not going to push him aside for the fragging glitch of the Autobot Commander.

''So, my big softy,'' Optimus said as he trailed a blue digit over the Decepticon's chest, effectively distracting him from both his brother and the retreating Magnus who had offended him so. He looked down at his little lover and made a grimace at what he called him, but his interest peeked when he saw the look in Optimus's optics. ''Would you mind joining me in the washracks or will I have to clean up on my own?'' He rubbed his body sensually against the larger frame, causing Megatron's cooling fans to snap to life and his powerful flight engine to purr at the image of his little Optimus in the warshracks, wet and waiting for his touch...

''I will be glad to join you, sweetspark.'' He growled, nipping at a blue audio fin.

''Then what re we waiting for?'' Optimus gasped out, arching into Megatron's touch. The Decepticon scooped him up and carried him off to the washracks for a little more alone time...

00000

''So...'' Bumblebee started, but did not know how to finish. After running into the captain's cabin and some time after Optimus chewed them all out, as well as the embarrassing explanations to Alpha, Omega and Sigma what interfacing was, the air was left thick with awkwardness and unease. The couples ignored it well enough, being too absorbed in each other to notice it or to care, really... But the res were not so lucky and had to suffer through it. Although, Ultra Magnus seemed to be ignoring it quite well, probably talking with that Megazarak fellow, and Alpha Trion was deep in thought, like he always was these past few days.

''I had no idea robots could have sex!'' Sari finally yelled out, startling a few bots at how loud such a small creature could get. ''I mean, how...? What goes where-? Do you just...?''

''Kid, I am not explaining this for the second time today.'' Ratchet bemoaned, remembering the conversation he and Arcee had had with Omega. Optimus and Artemis had the same conversation with Alpha and Sigma got his from Ultra, Perceptor and Wheeljack. However, Sari had been talking with her dad at the time of these talks so she didn't hear anything and it was no wonder she still wanted to ask questions.

''Then I'm sure First Aid can tell me!'' The techno-organic girl insisted.

''Um, no thank you.'' The femme immediately turned it down. They were meant to land on one of the nearby planets for fuel since they had wasted most of the reserves last night and Starscream had promised to walk with her through the market while she tried to find something nice to buy as a souvenir of this adventure.

Sari turned pleading optics on the two scientists, but Perceptor just said he will be dragging Wheeljack off to find some rare parts for an important experiment. She looked at Bulkhead and Bumblebee, who just shrugged uncomfortably. It was, surprisingly enough, Ironhide who saved them. ''You're too young to learn about this now.''

''I may be young in Cybertronian years, but humans mature faster!''

''Well, this is Cybertronian anatomy you're interested in, so you will learn about it when all other sparklings do.'' The orange warrior told her and she pouted.

''But-''

''No buts.''

''Aw, man!'' She grumbled and sat down on Bulkhead's shoulder, clearly unhappy and sulking, but Ironhide comes from a part of Cybertron full of immature and young mechs, so he is immune and just crosses his servos and send her this _look_ that makes her stop.

''So, what's the plan now?'' Brawn asked, leaning against Hot Shot.

''We land on Liki 9 and get fuel, then trans-warp back to Cybertron and face the Quintessons. After that, we talk about a ceasefire and peace.'' Optimus answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, reading a datapad with Artemis and Slipstream on either side of his seat, while Megatron is off somewhere else on the Steelhaven, contacting his soldiers and informing them about the alliance with the Autobots against the squids. Lugnut and Blitzwing are with him while Strika and Cyclonus had stayed to listen to the meeting and fill him in when he returns. Shockwave was on the communication counsels with Cliffjumper and Blurr, the three Intelligence bots gathering information on the latest developments back home and on said planet they will be landing on. Starscream and his clones had stayed as well, mostly because they had nothing better to do until they reach the planets atmosphere and then they are to scout ahead so that they don't get any more nasty surprises... Hopefully.

''How long are we staying?'' Arcee questions with a raised servo Optimus neither sees nor acknowledges.

''A joor, two at most.''

''How come? You've stayed longer on other planets!'' Bee complained, having been excited to look around and show Sari other planets. She had visited only two of the worlds they had visited in their search for Optimus first on Sep and then on Helens and neither had been a truly thrilling experience.

''Yes and once we've been attacked by Qvotus and the second time by the Quintesssons themselves. And that's not counting the violent, warmongering locals of Kukuzor. I don't want any more incidents that might either end in someone getting damaged, or worse, offlined.'' Optimus finally looked up from his readings and locked optics with the yellow minibot. ''I know you want to explore, but we don't have time for that now, Bumblebee. I want to be back to Cybertron as soon as we can. There a few things I would like to do to ensure our victory over the Quintessons and we don't even know how well Autobots are faring against the squids.''

''Actually, we've just gotten word from HQ.'' Cliffjumper said as he jogged into the room, having been getting a report from Cybertron. ''The Quintessons had went into full on assault but the Decepticon are keeping them out of Cybertron's atmosphere. We are lucky with that, at least. However, the Quintessons are getting additional reinforcements from Kukuzor, Liki 6 and 4, Sep and Seperam 1, not to mention many of their pet projects such as the Qvotus and other such cyborg creations they have made over the centuries. And that is not counting more and more Quintessonian ships going from both old and New Quintessa. It looks like their whole population is going to this war.''

''Knowing my, unfortunately, sister, she really is mobilizing the entire population into this war.'' Artemis growled from his place beside Optimus. ''She had hesitated in doing so the first time around, a few orns after she had killed my Lord Quintus, and it had ended with most of the First 100 dead, with the exception of myself, Quintessa and Pepest. However, before my kind began reproducing by modifying our very base coding and structure by adding organic tissue, we had reproduced like Cybertronains and most organics do: intercourse.'' At the blank stares he was getting from some of the Autobots, the Quintessonian ''prince'' rolled his optics. ''Interfacing, sex, fragging, fucking, doing the dirty deed, getting down and dirty, the horizontal tango, insert thing A into hole B-''

''Okay, they get it, Artemis.'' Optimus said with some effort not to burst out laughing at the expressions on the Autobots' faces, the Decepticons not having his restraint and downright laughing at them.

''They get what?'' Icy asked as he, Lugnut and their Lord enter the room. The gray mech immediately went to Optimus's seat and leaned down to kiss his bonded's cheek. Optimus smiled up at him before returning his attention to the conversation at hand.

''Artemis had been kind enough to... educate us in all the ways one can say interfacing.'' The response sent the Decepticons into a new laughing fit while the Autobots flushed at their own ignorance at some things.

''I think I like you, Quintesson.'' Strika said after she got over her laughing fit. ''You got spunk.''

''Why thank you!'' Said Quint was delighted with this. He doesn't know all that much about the warframes of Cybertron, but he does know that when one of them says something like this, especially a bot in Strika's position, it means you are accepted and respected as a worthy ally. ''You're not so bad yourself, Decepticon.'' Strika just smirked at the reply and then returned the medic of Optimus's crew back to his story. ''Right, well... It was too slow for Quintessa's liking, so she used the knowledge my Lord Quintus thought us and she even tried to get me in on it, to make a new generation of Quintessons... That's the ones you see today. Well, it's their descendants, anyway. However, Quintessa has a son. He's like us, born from one of her many consorts among our brothers, but he's not of the First 100 and he has never met my Lord Quintus, or any of the other my Lords Primes. He nearly got into a confrontation with my Lord Amalgamous, but my sister made him retreat due to the damage my Lords Primes had done so far to her forces. Good thing for the youngling, Lord Amalagous had given your race their ability to transform and your soldiers had been quick to avenge the death of another one of my Lord Quitnus's brothers. As you know, the fighting became more intense until you finally drove Quintessa off. After that, she only increased the new forms of reproduction and made cattle-like farms where she put potent carriers and used them to breed. Our population recovered but our military still hadn't, or else she would have attacked centuries ago."

''While we were still at war with each other.'' Ultra concluded and everyone shuddered at how easy it would have been to conquer Cybertron in such a weakened state. ''They wouldn't even need a powerful space fleet. A few ships would have been enough and Cybertron, and our freedom, would have been lost. Forever.''

''Yes, but why attack now?'' Prowl asked, crossing his servos and looking at the commanders of both factions and Optimus. ''We may still be at war, but it is not that bad at the moment, and the consequences wouldn't be nearly as devastating as an attack five hundred years ago could have been, or a thousand years ago. Why attack now, after the Autobots proved themselves stronger than ever before by bringing in the Decepticon High Command as prisoners?''

''I think we can explain that.'' Alpha Trion and Optimus exchanged meaningful looks and nodded to each other.

''It's one of the reasons both Alpha Trion and I have been against Megatron facing trial on Cybertron. We believe that the Quintessons have heard of his capture and set off to Cybertron, expecting him to either be executed or, more preferably for them, enslaved by slave coding they had once used. Both were bound to enrage Decepticons to such a degree that we feared you might retaliate by siding with the Quintessons, if only to erase everything Autobot out of existence.''

''How dare you even suggest that?!'' Strika bellowed, standing up and marching over to the seated Prime, glowering at him from her looming height. However, despite how scary she looked, Optimus only blinked at her, not at all intimidated. ''We would never stoop so low, Autobot!'' She growled, spitting the faction name out as if it was stale energon.

Optimus stood up as well, and despite being much smaller in frame than the femme, he executed more power in his lithe frame and showed more deadly grace with that silent movement than the Decepticon had by storming over to him. He looked her square in the optics, startling her with both his bravery and the intensity in optics of one so young. ''Can you truthfully tell me, that had we allowed the Council to go through with their plan of enslaving - or executing, it hadn't been decided yet - Megatron in the most humiliating way they could think of just to make themselves look superior, in front of the whole galaxy, if not the whole Universe, you wouldn't want revenge for you leader? The leader you followed for over four million years and much, much longer? The leader you have sworn eternal loyalty to? I may not be a Decepticon, or even a warframe, but I do know a thing or two about oaths such as the one you made. You've bound yourself to him by spark and life, and such a his death as his would have been would be the ultimate failure in keeping to your word. You would lose respect of your soldiers along with your Lord, your consort and good friends. And even if your soldiers never turned on you, you would be put at the top of The List. And I know that it is not worth it to continue living, if you make it to the very top of The List, because Tarn himself would come for you.''

Strika stepped back, stumped with the cold facts thrown at her from a mere little Autobot. No one in the Autobot ranks knows the true terror that is the DJD, nor the fanatic Tarn that leads them, yet this Autobot understood that if you ever make it to the top of The List, you may as well just jump into a star because that would be less painful than what would happen to you should Tarn ever get his servos on you.

''Besides, you, Shockwave and Lugnut are known throughout the Universe as the three most loyal to Megatron. Even if there was no DJD, I know you would have either come for him or destroyed the ones who took him from you. Decepticons don't leave their own behind so lightly.''

''Just how do you know all of this?'' Strika asked, shaken. Optimus raised an optical ridge at her and nodded towards the Archivist.

''I might be the only bot alive that actually knows why you owe him. Where do you think I learned all of this? The library? Pfft! That thing is full of propaganda, if you're not reading the uncensored data pads stored by archivists in special cases so no one can red them without the Council's approval and notice.''

''And you don't want to get noticed by the Council. Believe me, I would know.'' Ratchet grumbled.

''Ah, yes. The case you made against the improper use of our Intelligence bots.'' Ultra Magnus hummed, making Arcee blush because she knew it must have been because of her.

''So the Quintessons were expecting Decepticon help?'' Slipstream asked, rubbing her chin in thought. ''But why would they count on that? Why attack so soon, if they knew Megatron will be facing trail. Those things last for stellar cycles sometimes!''

''Because Autobots had gotten the reputation of simply executing POWs and war criminals they knew were more trouble alive than facing consequences of killing them without trail.'' Alpha Trion growled out, startling everyone out of their own musings. ''If Optimus had not interfered that day, we would have been facing pissed off Decepticons teamed up with all too eager Quintessons.''

''And knowing Quintessa, she would have enslaved the warframes while they were allies so they could never fight against her again.'' Artemis added, a growl in his own usually calm voice.

''Using one of the instruments of their own defeat against us both.'' Commented Yokertron. ''It would mean absolute destruction and eternal enslavement of the Cybertronian race. I think we were all very lucky that Optimus Prime has such a strong moral, otherwise we would all be slaves or dead right about now.''

00000

They reached Liki 9 in two joors, the pink planet quite a welcome sight after only asteroids on the vastness of space for a view outside their windows. It was another organic-based planet, but unlike Earth, it had no vegetation to speak of. Instead, it was used as a farming planet for crystals like the ones that Cybertronians grew in the famous Crystal Gardens, such as the ones in Praxus, but now here near as beautiful. It was a peaceful colony the Quintessons had created so they can have those same crystals and although they were under Quintesson authority, they weren't forced to participate in wars or other conflicts, instead remaining relatively neutral.

''Because they are the only ones besides Cybertronians who know how to take care of the crystals, they are _not allowed_ to be used as warriors.'' Artemis had explained during the debriefing. ''Not only that, but they have not wish to fight, so if you were to place them on a battlefield, they would be dead withing seconds. A Cybertronian sparkling would kill them without any trouble.'' Was his explanation and the others had all ''ooh''-ed and ''ah''-ed. The Decepticons weren't all that happy with the sparkling thing, but they didn't voice it for peace's sake.

When they were just to enter the atmosphere, the three ships separated and the seekers deployed, going to scan for possible Quintessonian forces there, guarding the planet or possibly waiting for the three Omega Sentinels. Not five breem after they had left the ships, Skywarp was warping back in front of them with all his siblings clinging to him, the comms coming to life with their panicked reports of a Quintesson fleet of over 150 ships and about 80 fight drones making their way towards them from the other side of the planet, already going at high speed.

::I'd say the ETA is a breem at the most.:: Starscream finished the report and just as he said the last word, all three shipformers's proximity alarms blared to life, the alerts shaking the ships as Alpha, Sigma and Omega boomed for danger.

''Frag!'' Strika yelled as the Steelhaven started maneuvering to avoid the incoming fire. The shield held but the shipformer still had to avoid such rapid fire so they don't sustain damage. ''Strika to Omega and Alpha Supreme! What is the plan!?''

''This is Optimus Prime answering Strika and Ratchet!'' It would seem the General of Destruction wan't the only one asking for instructions. ''We're going to need all hands on deck! Give the Autobots in your ships battle grade weapons, be it stingers, arrows or blasters, I don't care. I want all flying Decepticons to deploy and meet me and my trine in front of Alpha Supreme, the seekers are here. I want the mentorbots to remain with their ships. Ultra Magnus, if you must exit the ship, do not leave its surface. You are to stay with Omega and Sigma at all costs! Artemis will be monitoring and guiding Alpha from within our bridge, but I will be in constant contact with them, as well as you. Is that clear so far.'' The young Prime's image appeared on their main screens.

::Heard you loud and clear, Prime.:: The medic answered from the Orion.

''Go on,I've copied.'' Strika answered as well.

''Good. Now, me and my crew have dealt with a situation like this before, three times, so you can either follow our lead or do you Decepticon thing, but we need to be coordinated.'' Optimus went on, taking out a few weapons from a metal box and giving it to the Jettwins and Blurr. ''The Omega Sentinels are to transform into root mode only if necessary. If you need an expatiation as to why, you either wait until this is over for me to tell you or you ask Artemis after I've given out all the orders. Now, what I need is for backup fire, as much as you can provide. We will deploy Blurr deep in behind enemy lines, where he will be placing these explosives,'' he showed the small grenade-like devices that had a lot more power in them than their appearances would suggest. ''Or he will place scramblers so that they lose their own coordination. If at all possible, Blurr will enter their ships and make them either crash into each other or disable weapons systems. We've done this before and it has proven quite successful. I suggest Skywarp helps in these maneuvers however he can. He doesn't need to stay in between their ships, but it would be highly appreciated if he would at least drop Blurr off.''

::I-I'l d-do it!:: Said seeker answered over the comms, surprising everyone with the determination in his voice despite his obvious fear. ::I want t-to help a-as much as I-I can!::

Optimus felt a ping of pride from Slipstream's side of their trine bond and he grinned. ''Then half of the hard part is done. The second problem is the drones. Last time, we had Alpha, with the help from Artemis and Roller, using the defensive weapons on Alpha's metal skin to deflect them, but I heard from Megatron that you placed shooters and cyber ninjas on the surface and had them strike down any approaching drones before they can land or do any damage.'' Strika nodded, and Ratchet must have as well, because the red and blue bot continued. ''I want grounder Decepticons on top of these ship immediately. All shields up and all Autobots working with Decepticons, no excuses. If it comes to the Supremes transforming, it will not be before all those on their surface get inside.''

''I agree. We must make sure no one gets injured in this battle.'' Ultra Magnus said from behind the large femme, grip tightening on his Hammer. ''I will personally guard Sigma's skidplating.''

''Just don't get yourself killed or Megazarak won't ever let me hear the end of it.'' Said Decepticon's spark twin muttered from somewhere behind his smaller lover, making Optimus roll his optics despite the dire situation.

''We had the cyber ninjas working together on most of the Steelhaven, but that was while it was inactive. I suggest we distribute their forces on all ships.'' Strika recommended, already going over all possible strategies, how they might work and which would be the most effective without anyone getting offlined. However, Optimus shot her down instantly.

''No, Sigma is still weak from being in stasis for so long. The cyber ninjas are to remain with Ultra Magnus. Alpha has recently fought so he won't have that many problems with defending himself, besides, Roller is here and while he may be small, he packs quite the punch and firepower.'' A beep was heard and the little mech waved at them from his station. ''Send us the shooters. Whoever defended Omega Supreme is to do it again. Shockwave will stay on Alpha, helping with communications if need be but more preferably, taking down the drones with his cannon.''

''What about the Decepticons?''

Optimus looked at Strika like she had just grown a second head. ''I'm not your commander, Strika.''

Said femme smirked as best as she could. ''Alpha Trion and Hot Rod Prime praised your tactical abilities quite a bit when we were talking about war-sims.''

''Which reminds me, we'll have to play sometime after this is over.'' Megatron once again added his opinion. ''Besides, you're my mate. They have to listen to you.''

The Prime just looked form one Decepticon to the other. ''You guys are a strange lot.''

::Amen, kid.:: Ratchet agreed.

::What's ''amen''?:: Starscream screeched as he avoided another incoming missile. ::Never mind, just get your gears in action! We're going to _die_ out here!::

''Right. If I had it my way, I would suggest a straight line for Strrika and Lugnut. Megatron, Blitzwing and Cyclonus should come in from bellow while the seekers should come from behind, meaning you'll have to either warp there or sneak out there on your own. Me, Jetfire and Jetstorm will come from above.''

''What about the other sides?'' Strika asked, not liking the holes in the formation. Optimus grinning at her mad her pause in her contemplating of what she should add to this destined to fail strategy.

''The Omega Sentinels are to cower those sectors. We are going to make a triangle formation with Alpha, Omega and Sigma as the corners, firing freely upon the Quintessons from three sides. One of the sides will then be cowered by Megatron, Blitzwing and Cyclonus, the other side by you and Lugnut, another by the seekers and another by me and the Jettwins. A side will be left open for the escape pods, because most of the Quintessons abandon their stations as soon as they see defeat in their sights. I suggest that we place a precautionary mine field there, should whole ships try to escape.''

''All sides covered. I see. Not bad, not bad at all, Autobot.''

''The name is Optimus Prime and I am not an Autobot.'' Came the slightly peeved reply.

''Whatever you say, Autobot.'' She said with a teasing glint in her optics, to which Optimus only shook his helm. ''Shall we, then?''

Optimus smirked at her. ''Ladies first, General of Destruction.''

Strika laughed as the connection broke.

00000

They deployed instantly, getting into formation while not giving the plan away to the squids as they flew together, only for the trine of seekers to disappear when Skywarp used his warp core. They appeared behind the fleet and started firing immediately, destroying ten ships and over 15 drones with their initial attack before some of the drones engaged them and a few ships turned towards them. Skywarp was quick to warp deep in between the ships, where he launched Blurr and watched as the speedster ran and jumped from ship to ship, almost randomly placing the devices that soon caused them to either explode or crash into other ships because they lost all contact with the others. Wheeljack had even given them some invention of his that stole all power from any vessel and left it useless, just floating there and getting in the way of the rest of the fleet. The usually terrified seeker was quick to trans-warp from ship to ship, placing his own explosives or using his null rays to destroy important components that disabled vital systems in the ships. When they bot ran out of their own ammunition, they started breaking into the ships and disabling things from the inside, including sending off crew or cuffing them with stasis cuffs.

Slipstream, Starscream, Ramjet, Thundercracker and Sunstorm were not idle either. They attacked smaller ships on their own, as well as the many battle drones coming at them, but they teamed up perfectly when a bigger ship turned to them. Thundercracker was more than happy to use his boosters and melt many a cockpits of the smaller ships or frying the circuitry of the bigger ships's engines. Ramjet lived up to his name and rammed into spacecrafts of all sizes and came out unscathed, firing his null rays in the bigger ships so they would either explode or lose control. Sunstorm discovered a new ability. When he fired both null rays together, one crossed over the other, the resulting ray flares up and blinds his enemies, allowing him and his brothers to easily destroy them. Slipstream gracefully slid in between ranks and dispatched all who dared come at her while Starscream screeched in victory as dozens of drones fell by his null rays.

Lugnut and Strika worked beautifully together, leaving nothing but debris in their wake. It was obvious why they were some of Megatron's most feared warriors when you see them take one of the biggest ships in the fleet between them and crush it together like it was nothing more but a fluffy pillow. Lugnut's special punch soon had Quintessons fleeing, leaving a third of the ships unattended and ready for raid or using as a tactical advantage.

Cyclonus was having fun while cutting down ship after ship and Blitzwing was happy, angry and cool as all the drones that came at him practically evaporated from his flames or broke apart when he froze them and just flicked them with one of his digits. The explosions around him made Megatron quite a bit lustful for even more damage and destruction, for Quintessonian life fluids to flow like rivers and to watch those squids dying beneath his pedes. His crimson eyes turned a dark maroon as more and more ships fell to either his twin swords or by his infamous Fusion Canon, enjoying how his enemies's numbers dwindled and victory neared. He roared his excitement and victory, hearing the same excited and victorious howls of battle from his loyal Decepticons, before he charged further on.

Jetfire and Jetstorm were such a great help in this situation, their element-based powers making them something that the Quintessons couldn't prepare for. The fire would melt exposed wires Optimus had damaged and the wind would unsettle the ships to such a degree that they started firing on their own. A few times, Jetstorm even overturned a few ships and their motors gave out from overworking themselves to try and righten the vessel right side up. When they combined into Safeguard, they were more than happy to punch holes in some of the bigger ships before Jetfire would use his fire to melt them from the inside out. They would separate again and then combine their powers to make a fiery tornado from which the squids were quick to escape through their pods.

The Omega Sentinels were free to fire at full power since there were no Autobots nor Decepticons in the way of their cannons. When they started firing, fireworks lit up the sky over Liki 9, explosions shaking the remaining Quintessonain ships. Any drones or ships that came at them were destroyed by the mechs and femme guarding the outside of the big bots. Ultra's lightning destroyed quite a few bigger ships that had dared charge at Sigma Supreme while Shockwave had taken out ten drones with one shot from his cannon in his alt mode. Lockdown had taken off his hook in exchange for a big cannon that doubled as a mace. Blackarachnia was once again taken by Skywarp and she sued her webs and her venom on the ships and drones, and on the crew inside a few ships before the seeker came back for her and returned her to her post to keep Sentinel's back.

It was when the Quintesson forces dwindled to half of the original fleet that the first wounded were brought back in.

Skywarp warped back in with a heavily damaged Sunstorm, said yellow seeker knocked out cold into stasis by his systems so he doesn't get overstressed by the pain. When he reported the extent of damage, Alpha Trion demanded that the injured seeker be brought to the Axalon, then made Skywarp go and see if there were any other injured out there and told him to be careful. Artemis was fast to do scans on the seeker before informing Alpha Trion of what was damaged and the extent, before the third born Prime lifted his younger sister's Forge and focused. When the giant hammer made contact with the seeker's plating, a big light erupted and when it faded, the seeker was as good as new, though still unconscious. Artemis, not even blinking at the power of the Primes, ran another scan, to be safe, before informing Sunstorm's brothers and sister that he was fine but still out.

The next to come into a med bay was Ironhide and he was to surrender to Ratchet's not so gentle mercies. His arm had been riped out by a stray blast of fire from a falling drone but luckily it was a clean cut and no major energon lines were damaged. Blackarachnia was the one to catch his falling limb with her webs before she all but bullied him into the ship. Ratchet made quick work with some assistance from Sari while Arcee watched over Omega and the battle raging on around them. Ironhide was fine, but he was not going to go back into an more fights until his welds settled and his repair systems took care of the singed wiring. He was left on a med berth with orders to rest and refuel, a cube of medical grade enegon showed into his good servo.

Their luck ran out when Hot Rod got shot by a Quintesson using a hovering platform to sneak up on their ships. He easily overpowered Bumblebee and followed Shockwave, who had grabbed the young leader of Team Athenia, to the entrance to the shuttle bay and stunned him with one of the Prime's electrical arrows. Both the Decepticon and the Autobot he had been carrying in to get medical attention fell to the floor, Shockwave shifting before he lost consciousness so he doesn't crush Hot Rod. Alpha immediately recognized him as a threat and alerted the others of his presence, causing Roller, Artemis and Alpha Trion to run to the shuttle bay.

When the three arrived they heard crackling circuitry from where the intruder had cut or blown off Alpha's internal defenses. Said intruder looked at them with hateful green optics and dashed at them with tremendous speed, blades and blaster pointed at them all and ready to be used. Artemis quickly jumped into action and pulled out his own blades, almost identical to that of the other Quintesson, green optics locking as they started the deadly dance, moving with precision not suited for mechanism as old as they were, even if the intruder was quite a few vorns younger than Quintus's favorite creation. Alpha Trion moved over to Shockwave and extracted the injured Prime from his arms, looking them both over while Roller checked Alpha Supreme's damaged circuitry, beeping in worry.

Outside, Optimus roared with the pain he felt over one of his bonds with his friends. He quickly realized it was from his mentor bond with Alpha and made a move to head towards the shipformer, only to come face to face with a bunch of Qvotus. And although he knew they were not the same beasts that had killed Primal Major, rage overtook him and he charged at them, cutting them down without remorse. Had it not been dangerous for their mission to lose the element of surprise, he would have taken out the Hunter and destroyed them from this plane of existence altogether.

Feeling how unsettled his bondmate was, Megatron paused in pulling one of his own destruction of one of the Quintesson's projects, the Quintcracks, a failed attempt at making their own Sharkticons and instead just making a sick version of metal piranhas, and looked in the direction he felt the pull in his spark. He saw Optimus surrounded by Qvotus and made haste to come to his side, not wanting to risk one of those things taking his lover by surprise from behind. He was _not_ losing his Conjunx Endura!

Alpha Trion manged to drag both Shockwave and Hot Rod away from the fighting and into one of the corridors, where he proceeded to do a quick patch up work on Hot Rod while constantly checking in on Shockwave's systems, but the Deceptcion showed no signs of waking up in the next five breems. He was so focused on his task that he didn't notice that the battle had stopped until he heard the charging of a blaster right behind him.

Knowing that he could not leave Shockwave and Hot Rod to be on the receiving end of that close a blast, Alpha Trion did the only thing he could. It would reveal his secret but it will save two lives. Using the technique Micronus made sure he taught all of his brothers, Trion intensified his EM field so that when the blast hit it, it bounced off and instead hit a crate of, unfortunately, energon. In the stunned second he was provided by using this, Alpha Trion turned around and tackled his would-be-attacker. He was shocked to see the resemblance between Artemis and this Quintesson and realized that since it was a mech, this must be Quintessa's son and heir. He, too, had four tentacles and he made good use of them by throwing Alpha Trion off of him with them, then quickly stood up, getting down into a crouching stance that Quintus had loved to use in the few times he had decided to spar, mostly for Optimus's sake. It allowed him to use his tentacles as a weapon and a defense while he could use his arms and legs to deliver blow to his opponent.

The young Quintesson had just as sharp features as Artemis, but his were more on the feminine side, probably getting it from his mother. His optics were narrower, however, and he had something like fangs on his lip plates. He was shorter than Artemis but had longer arms, his helm was more of a overturned egg shape and his olfactory sensors resembled a snout. He was the same silvery-gray color, but his green biolights were a different shade from Artemis's. His stance was proud, befitting the prince of such a big force in the Universe, but he lacked the arrogance Alpha Trion had seen Quintessa carry, or the cruelty he had seen in her optics when she watched Cybertronians, and especially Primes, die at the hands of her army. No, this one was angry and hateful because of that anger and he will kill because of that rage.

He struck at Alpha Trion again, but the old Prime quickly took a hold of the younger's outstretched servo, bending it at an odd angle and throwing him over his shoulder strut. The younger only grunted before getting back up and using one of his swords to try and stab the Archivist. The old mech easily side stepped him three times before delivering a punch directly at the other's olfactory sensor. The Quintesson snarled in pain, holding the hurt place before taking out his blaster and firing uncontrollably. Seeing his chance to get away from the injured bots, Alpha Trion quickly ran out of that corridor and back into the shuttle bay, where he was horrified to see Artemis out cold, the other blade lodged firmly in his side, where on a Cybertronian a T-Cog would be. Locking the door behind him, knowing that the younger Quintesson will be more interested in going after him than attacking the two damaged mechs, Alpha Trion ran over to the fallen SIC of Axalon and breathed out an ex-vent of relief when he saw that the other was only in stasis and that his energon lines weren't too badly damaged.

''Come on, you Quint. Optimus will need you when I go.'' He said as he took out the blade and tried to stem the energon flow and possibly patch up the wound a bit. He won't hold on if the wound is still leaking. Just as he managed to do it, the younger Quintesson finally broke down the door. He stalked in like a predator who know that he was about to get what he wants, but he was deterred by a battered Roller, the Minicon firing on him with his little but powerful blasters.

''Roller, NO!'' The old mech yelled when the Quintesson opened the air lock and threw said Minicon out, the little mech squealing in deep-rooted fear as the blackness of space swallowed him up.

''Now it's just you and me, murderer.'' The intruder spoke, sneering at the old mech. Alpha Trion pushed a crate of medical tools in front of Artemis as a form of some small protection, getting ready to fight. ''You're so old, I couldn't believe when you hit me. I'm the best fighter, next to my mother and my uncle Pepest. Whom you killed!''

''I never met you uncle.'' The old mech said cautiously, circling he young mech as the Quintesson did the same to him.

''Maybe, but you ordered this ship to fire. I know that it's this ship simply by how Artemis, another of my uncles, one I was rarely ever allowed to see, tried to protect you.'' He spat. ''Who are you? My uncle Artemis is not someone whose loyalty can be earned so easily. In fact, it can't be earned at all. You have to be born with his loyalty.''

''I am Alpha Trion.''

Fear struck the youngster. ''Alpha Trion, the third Prime?'' He started shacking, but the Prime could not tell if it was from anger, fear or sadness. ''So you fraggers aren't all dead. Well, I guess I'll make my carrier proud and just eliminate you in her name!'' He dashed at the old Prime, Alpha Trion just barely managing to dodge this time. ''Now I know why Artemis is loyal to you. He was always obsessed with Quintus and only Quintus had his loyalty, Quintus and his Prime brothers! My uncle never joined my mother, my other uncle and me because of you!'' The youngster made a gash on Trion's old shoulder guard, causing the Prime to grunt as he butt-headed the youngster away. ''Now I only have one uncle, because the one that had practically been my sire is dead because of you!''

''I never fought your uncle. He was the one who attacked this ship and its crew and the captain of the ship ordered for them to defend themselves.'' Alpha Trion said as he wretched away the blade from the Quintesson's strong grip. ''You and your carrier are the ones that restarted this war and in war, there are always casualties we cannot accept!'' He grunted once again when he got hit in the tanks. ''I lost a sister and four brothers in a pointless war, because of a misunderstanding, and another four to your kind! Yet you do not see me seeking revenge!''

''I am not you!'' The Quintesson hissed, taking the new advantage he got. ''I am not the perfect Lat Prime!''

Alpha Trion's optics widened as pain shot through him, blinding him. He had managed to move at the last second, but the blade had still grazed his spark from where the younger Quintesson had stabbed him in his moment of weakness. Fear gripped his spark. ''Last... Prime?''

The grin on the other's face made Alpha Trion want to crawl out of his plating. ''Well, I know for a fact that all the others are dead and my mother had taught me what Quintus had taught her. The Last of The Primes is Primus's most perfect creation... and it would seem that that is you.''

Trion chuckled bitterly as he felt the blade slowly moving towards his spark as the other twisted the blade. ''I am one of the first born, quite literally. I was third, while you are speaking of the Thirteenth... If you were to fight him... you would not... last... a full breem... es-especially if... you kill me... no-now...'' He started struggling with his words, his energy leaving him. So this is what his killer looks like... A youngling... ''You're name must be... Thamast... Thamast, the Killer of His-history...''

Green optics widened. ''How do you know my designation? Answered me!'' He shook the dying red, purple and gray mech, the old bot no longer having the strength to fight. ''Answer me, you old sack of bolt!'' He hissed, lifting the Archivist up by his neck, choking what little energon was left from reaching his processor. ''And what do you mean, the thirteenth?''

Alpha Trion smiled at the mention of his youngest brother. ''I... thought you k-knew... about us... Primes... I have power... over the time str-stream... can see... future, present and... past e-eve-events...'' He choked and coughed up energon, feeling his spark slowly giving out. He won't last much longer if this continues, he won't get to say goodbye to Optimus... ''The Thirteenth Prime is Primus's most perfect cre-creation... I suggest y-you leave w-while you s-sti-ll can... because his rage... _can_ surpass that of M-Megatronus P-Prime... and non of those... who the rage is m-meant for... will sur-survive... it...''

Thamast's faceplate suddenly split into a malicious grin although his optics showed fear anew. ''So one more Prime still lives.'' He leaned in to Trion, pressing him hard against the nearest wall and twisting the blade right next to his spark even more, enjoying the trembling of that old frame as his body struggled to repair itself and save the spark from going out. ''Don't you worry, Three, Thirteen will follow you shortly after... I'll take great _pleasure_ in killing him.''

Alpha Trion cried out in anguishing pain when the blade pierced the protective casing of his spark and started moving towards it center, preparing himself to join with his Creator and his siblings...

When he heard an equally anguished cry in front of him and then the pressure invading his spark was gone.

As soon as Alpha Trion had received his first injury near his spark, Optimus had felt his own spark clench in pain. It had realized before he had that he was losing a brother and it had started mourning for one still living, although it knew he won't stay that way for long. The part of Optimus that was still connected to the Allspark could feel the Well of Allsparks opening, preparing to admit a spark... And not just any spark, but the spark of a Prime and no matter how he tried to influence it to close, not even Optimus could stop the Well from accepting another extinguished spark from finding its final resting place.

As soon as Alpha Trion received his second injure near his spark, Optimus understood fully what was happening and panic and fear overtook him, so much that he, too, nearly died. Had it not been for Megatron, who must have flown up to him at some point, but the young Prime could not remember anything but his mad need to destroy the Qvotus trying to kill him, Optimus would have been the first of the two remaining Primes to join their brethren in the Well. The Decepticon had clung to him as if he was the only thing holding Optimus together and grounded to this world...

And very soon, he might just have to do it, for real.

He had heard Megatron talking, but he didn't register the words, didn't even realize his name was being called over and over again until he heard the word Prime and he snapped out of his panicked state enough to push out of Megatron's hold and make a mad dash towards Alpha Supreme. The Qvotus were still all around him, attacking and trying to destroy both him and Megatron, but Optimus was uncaring at the moment. He had taken out the Star Saber and was cutting thorough the beasts with the ease of a sharp blade cutting through air. Megatron was doing his best to keep up with him, but desperation and his Prime nature gave Optimus a new strength and speed, so he was just a few mechanometers in front of the tyrant at all times.

When he finally made it to the ship, his optics roved over the damage, saw the spilled energon and took into account what must have happened all in a nanosecond and without conscious thought, before his optics zeroed in on Alpha Trion being chocked to death as well as a blade being pushed further into his chest, the angle suggesting that it was heading towards his spark, and his audio sensors picked up his brother's cry...

Optimus unleashed his own cry and rammed into the Quintesson holding his brother, so similar to Artemis but not Artemis. Artemis was a doctor, he would never hurt anyone purposefully unless he was defending himself or Optimus's crew.

The Quintesson hit the opposite wall and fell to the ground, winded but not unconscious.

Optimus didn't spare him a glance, instead running towards his fallen brother, who no longer had the energy to even hold himself up, not even with the support of the wall. ''Alpha Trion!'' He yelled in panic when those dark aquamarine optics flickered. He pushed the rubble out of the way and collapsed on his knee joints right next to his brother, taking him in his red arms and pulling him towards his chest, where his spark was beating in fear and the Matrix of Leadership was trying to calm it. He quickly, but carefully removed the blade from the old mech's chest and placed a shaking servo over the wound, stopping himself from keening as his brother, his only remaining sibling and family member, slowly slipped from his grasp and into the Well, where he will be welcomed by the rest of their siblings... Leaving Optimus all alone. ''You're going to be alright.'' And although it was a lie, even thought Alpha Trion was older than him and had seen a lot more deaths and suffering, probably knew more about the last moments of many mecha's lives, Optimus still tried to be optimistic, like many mecha had believed his name meant when he was in the Academy.

Alpha Trion placed his weak servo over Optimus's young one, squeezing as strongly as he could. ''It is alright... I have made peace with death ... a long time ago... My only wish had always been... That I see you... before my optics... o-offline... fo-for the last t-time.'' He raised his head a little to look his youngest brother in the optics for the last time, saw the light he still gave off, even after seeing so many friends die, after fighting in a energon-thirsty war and seeing the cruelty others took pleasure in inflicting. He was still that little brother who had come out of Primus's light, looked upon his fighting siblings and raised a hand with only three words leaving his intake to unite them for eternity. ''I am... so proud of y-you, m-my b-broth-brother. You have become... the greatness... you have always... been... Your light... still gives me ho-hope... for a better fu-future for these you-lings.'' He brought his free servo and hugged his brother's neck cables, resting their crested foreheads together, a sign of affection the Primes had only ever indulged in with their own siblings, for none would ever share such bonds with them like they had shared with each other. Their moment was ruined when Trion coughed up more energon, making Optimus's optics sparkle with unshed coolant tears and the sparks of agony he was currently feeling. ''No tears, young one... Smile for me... one last time... And make sure... to use... them... prop-properly...''

Optimus, despite his despair, smiled one last time for his brother and watched as the servo holding his own over the wound dug into the old mech's subspace and took out his two artifacts. Alpha Trion smiled peacefully at his own brother one last time before his optics flickered out. A second later, his spark stopped and sputtered out of existence, returning to the Well of Allsparks where his brothers and sister, as well as Primus and through him Unicron, welcomed the third born Prime back into their awaiting arms. Optimus felt the second he left, and he felt the Well slamming shut so as to prevent the youngest Prime from being tempted to return to that warmth and safety before it was his time. He felt his bond with his last living brother snap and he watched as the once lively red, gray and purple armor plating turned dull, dead gray before his very optics, his sensors showing him that every last function was shutting down and that the form in his hold was now nothing more than a lifeless husk of the once oldest being still fully alive and aware in the universe.

The void became bigger, the pain greater and Optimus became blind to all other bonds he had with others as his only living sibling died in his arms and he keened like he had never done before, mourning his loss, crying coolant tears so as not to overheat his optics from the sparks that were freely flowing. He keened and rocked in place, sobbing into a gray chest that was too still and too quiet to ever again provide comfort, but unable to bear the thought of letting go, of losing even this last little, pathetic connection to his family. He keened and cried his optics out, not caring who saw him or what they thought, because as far as he was concerned at that moment, he was all alone, there was no one else, not his trine, not his Amica Endura, not Roller and not even Megatron.

He was all alone.

And it was all because of the Quintesson slowly getting back up to his stabilizing servos with the help of the wall he had been thrown into. ''So, the old glitch finally kicked the bucket, eh? Good, he was only taking up space and air, spending well needed energon with his old systems when he couldn't even fight. A waste of precious metal. He should have been put down a long time ag-AHH!'' The same blade that had ultimately caused Alpha Trion's death laodged itself into the Qunitesson's shoulder from where Optimus had thrown it with such force it went all the way through and came out to the other side. Had it not been for the hilt, it would have sailed right through Thamast's body. ''You glitch!'' When he looked up, however, his fuel lines became ice.

Optimus had slowly set Alpha Trion down, rearranging him so he would be comfortable, if he were only just sleeping, and got to his pedes. His hands were clenched into tight fists, his whole frame trembling from fear, loss, rage, sadness and anguish at being all alone, and all because of this selfish little creature. Losing Elita One had hurt, losing her again as Blackarachnia was a punishment, losing Prowl was torture, losing Primal Major had been a nightmare... But losing Alpha Trion was equal to losing his last little light of hope in that big, empty void that had formed from the absence of eleven other sparks that should have always been there, but were not.

''How dare you?'' His voice was steel, his back was ramrod straight, his systems were overheating from his emotions and begging for him to unleash those emotions. The two artifacts in his servos were just as enraged, if they had true sentience and emotions that is, and many other relics of his brothers were begging for a release... He couldn't decide if the Hunter was actually tempting him more or equally as much as the Requiem Blaster was.

''He killed one of my own.'' Thamast answered with a sneer. ''He deserved it.'' And before the last word even fully left his mouth, Optimus was already on him. Thamast grunted, being slammed against the wall all over again, the youngest Prime easily using his strength and throwing the Quintesson outside, not wanting to further damage his dear friend. He took out his Proton Spear and activated his thrusters, going after him.

Thamast managed to barely dodge the first strike, but the next ten ones came at such speed and from such angles that they all hit their target. Thamast managed to get his blaster gun out and pointed it at the other's helm, but Optimus was beyond thinking now, and that was when warriors were the most dangerous fighter. He didn't even think when he activated the Chimera Stone and it immediately made shield from his EM field, strong enough that the attack bounced off. He put to Proton Spear back into its place and instead took two of the Blades of Time and engaged in a close combat style fight with Thamast, who also took out two knives. In his state now, Optimus didn't _need_ to think in order to act. His brothers had trained him to perfection in all their styles and the style Thamast was using was a combination of some other martial art and Quintus's own favorite style of fighting. It was easy to dodge the attacks from the tentacles, id didn't take him long to brake the other's guard and he took out the other three Blades of Time and he pointed the combined sword at the defeated Quintesson, helplessly floating in vacuum before him. The golden blade glowed with blue power, the same power that radiated from Optimus's spark and Thamast was petrified to see his blue optics glowing so brightly they were almost white.

''You killed him.'' He told the QUintesson in his own tongue, surprising the younger being. While Thamast might have lived longer in his frame, Optimus was a Prime, born before time had any meaning, and for all he knew, he had lived a small eternity before and after the fight with his Creator's dark twin brother. ''You killed him without remorse. Why?''

A sneer made its way over the young Quintesson's faceplates. ''He killed Ppepst, whom I considered a father, my sire. I called him sire! The mech who had sired me died and Pepest treated me as his own creation. My mother had many consorts, but Pepest was both her and my own favorite. And you killed him. She may not mourn him because she only saw him as a frag buddy but I saw him as a father figure and that glitch killed him!''

''I am the captain of the Axalon. I ordered that attack because we were defending ourselves. Artemis had identified Pepest as one of the casualties and we had apologized to him, and I will say sorry to you now, because it had not been my intention for anyone to die. But you wanted revenge and you killed _my brother_!'' Disbelief settled on the gray faceplates before him and green optics widened. ''He was the only family member I had left and you killed him. You and your kind killed eight out of thirteen Primes. According to your logic, I have the full right to destroy your whole race, and I have the things needed to do so if I wished to. But I am no killer and it is this reason you should give anyone who asks you how you survived an encounter with an enraged Prime. If I was any of my siblings, they would have killed you without hesitation or remorse.'' Optimus raised his sword and pointed it towards the ships still being brought down one by one by the Cybertronian forces. ''Call them off.''

Thamast sneered again and reached for his comm. ''DESTROY THEM ALL!'' All the ships suddenly powered up their self destruct sequences, known through out the galaxy as the kill-all-devices. When the Quintessons knew they were losing, they activated this sequence and destroyed their enemies along with them and any other living beings in the galaxy the fight had been in.

''NO!'' Optimus knocked the Quintessonian Prince out with the hilt of his sword and commed everyone to fall back, now! They all gathered around Skywarp and held tight, the Omega Sentinels transfered those on board and on their plating far away, all of them expecting Alpha Supreme to answer them as soon as the shipformer landed beside them, but on the Supreme there was only two knocked out bots and Bumblebee was still topside. Roller had commed his crew and was saved by Jetfire and Jetstorm and had insisted that they bring him back to the Axalon but they had all been forced to warp with Skywarp and they watched as the Quintesson ships started glowing before numerous explosions above Liki 9 blinded them.

''Lord Megatron was still there!'' Lugnut screamed and tried to rush back, but according to Optimus's silent command, Alpha transformed and floated in front of the group exposed to the space and the light. ''Move, you oversized Autobot scum!''

Meanwhile, Megatron was indeed still near the explosion, but he was just fine. Optimus floated some twenty mechanometers in front and left to him, a Quintesson behind him, out cold, holding out his new sword and attaching quickly strange things to his sword, his optics glowing bright.

As soon as the Hunter was out, it started absorbing the energy from the explosion. Knowing that he'll have to store all that energy somewhere so he wouldn't have to use it too soon, Optimus attached both the Chimera Stone and the Origin Matrix to his most trusted blade. The Origin Matrix attached easily to the end of the hilt while the Chimera Stone became the jewel in the middle of the hand guard before the blade started. The Hunter split open and all the energy floated straight into it and the two artifacts, however some of it stayed in both his sword and in himself. His circuits sang from all that energy, taking it in without any trouble, the Matrix storing it for later should Optimus ever need it. The Hunter glowed almost as brightly as the Star Saber does, gathering even more energy and transporting some into the Chimera Stone and the rest into the Origin Matrix. It took him well over twenty breems to absorb all that energy and by the time he was done, he felt exhausted. The new energy crackling inside him was useless right now and he wouldn't release it on just anything. There was too much of it to be careless with its distribution.

He put away all the artifacts back into their places in his subspace, being careful with the Hunter as the sword sang with all the new energy it had just taken in. The Origin Matrix was charged and ready to release, but Optimus suddenly got a pretty good idea for what he could use that energy. It might cost him one of his artifacts, but hopefully it won't be needed. Besides, if he ever really needed a boost, the Matrix of Leadership will be more than capable of giving it to him.

When he looked at the Quintesson who had killed his brother, Megatronus's Requiem Blaster thirsted for revenge and destruction, so Optimus made sure that it stayed under his plating. If it was out, he wondered if he would be able to hold it in and not just finish the pathetic being before him off. The Last Prime sneered at Thamast as he picked him up and made to go towards his ship, when he felt a worried energy field crashing into his before Megatron's arms wrapped around him, causing him to let go of the Quintesson and be drawn into a strong metal chest, feeling that powerful spark beneath the thick plating settle as soon as Optimus was in his arms.

Looking over his shoulder, Optimus was surprised by the pain he saw on Megatron's faceplate and he immediately turned to the Decepticon. _Are you alright?_ He asked over their bond and Megatron just drew him closer. _Megatron?_

 _I feel your sadness, Optimus._ Said Prime stiffened. _What has caused it? Why won't you let me in, like I have you? I am not hiding anything from you, yet you have many walls around yourself._

Optimus sighed and burrowed closer into his lover, seeking that warmth and that strong spark. The loneliness left him, bit by bit, and he suddenly wasn't as alone as he had been feeling from the moment Alpha Trion had died. _Alpha Trion is dead... gone... And I couldn't save him..._

Megatron's arms just tightened, completely ignoring the frantic calls over their comms. They weren't important right now, only Optimus was. Even with those walls around the younger mech's spark he had mentioned, he could feel the misery and loss. He knew that those two were close, like family as the humans called them, maybe even closer, so he knew that his little lover was deep in mourning. He didn't need to talk about this right now. He can do that after Optimus feels like he can stop mourning the old mech.

Right now, he will just hold his little Prime and comfort him to the best of his ability.

00000

As soon as Optimus and Megatron were in sight and scanner range of their friends and comrades, the others rushed towards them. Seeing that the danger was gone, Alpha Supreme let them do so and even he turned to look at his approaching mentor. Relieved cries surrounded them, but they soon noticed that Optimus wasn't reacting. It was as if he didn't even hear them, didn't see them, as if he thought he was alone. He was clinging to Megatron like his life depended on it.

Seeing that the kids was acting strange, Ratchet commanded Megatron over the comms to bring Optimus in onto Omega so Ratchet could do a quick check up. Slipstream was quick to protest, saying Artemis was Optimus's medic now, but when they tried calling the Quintesson, they noticed that he was not answering his comms and that he had been awfully quiet. Then Strika tried Alpha Trion's frequency, only for Optimus to quietly choke when she mentioned his brother's name and bury himself deeper into Megatron's strong arms. When he didn't answer, they started worrying, but Alpha Supreme assured them that everyone was on board.

He never said who was damaged or if there were any offlined, so when Blurr and Slipstream came aboard to check on the Axalon's inhabitants, because Alpha said something was wrong and his sensors were deactivated in the shuttle bay, they were horrified to see a heavily injured Artemis trying to get up and the gray form of Alpha Trion, who the Quintesson was desperately trying to reach.

::Ratchet, we need a medic! Now!:: Slipstream all but screamed down the link, startling everyone. Blurr was quick to run through the entirety of the ship, and thus brought in a hurt Bumblebee and knocked out Brawn and Hot Shot. However, when he stumbled across Shockwave and Hot Rod, both still bleeding some energon and having quite a few emergency patches, he screamed.

::Shockwave and Hot Rod Prime are in critical condition! We need Optimus here, now!::

::He needs his own patches!:: Ratchet yelled down the link, even louder and grumpier than he would usually.

::They're still bleeding energon, slag you!::

::I'm on my way.:: Was Optimus's reply and Ratchet must have started trying to render the Prime def because he arrived via Skywarp, Megatron, First Aid, Cyclonus and Ratchet with them, the old medic still screaming his vocals out but the red and blue bot didn't listen to him. He instead entangled himself from his lover, the emptiness returning ten-fold, and quickly flew through his ship, Alpha Supreme's voice a comfort he had almost forgotten, and mad his way towards where he kept the Allspark and Omega Key energies stored. He took three containers of each, not wanting to make the trip a second time, and by the time he got back, Artemis was crying over his creator's older brother.

Not wanting to look at the once comforting frame that was now gray and dead dead dead, Optimus hurried over to where Blurr reported Shockwave and Hot Rod to be. The Intelligence Agent was there, leaning over his lover and stroking his helm gently, while Cyclonus was holding Hot Rod's servo, whispering something to the unconscious orange, yellow and brown bot. Ratchet and First Aid were checking their patches and trying to stop the leaking, desperate to save their lives and Optimus was glad that he had taken the Allspark energy containers as well.

''Move aside.''

''Now is not the time for your experiments, Optimus Prime!'' First Aid snapped and Optimus flinched, not from the tone, but at his title and birth right. He was alone now, the last one, and he was starting to hate that word because it isolated him from everyone.

''Back off!'' Blurr snapped at her, knowing that Optimus can help and not liking the flinch he had noticed. He knew Alpha Trion and Optimus were close, he didn't care how close, but they were. He knew that Optimus still blamed himself for what happened to Elita One/Blackarachnia and Prowl, despite those two being alive, now, and especially for what happened to Primal Major, and those were only friends. Alpha Trion had raised Optimus, so the blame and guilt he will feel for the old mech's death will be equal to torture. He didn't need this ignorant femme to snap at him without reason. ''Optimus, come help save Shockwave.''

Not looking anyone in the optics, Optimus went over to the fallen spy and took the Allspark container, quickly preparing for transfusion and activating the container's release. The others watched as the bright energy flowed like liquid through the short tube and into Shockwave's systems, before a bright light blinded them. They all felt their wounds healing little by little, the residual energy that escaped through the transfer giving them a boost they had not realized how badly they needed. When the light show was over, Shockwave was already rebooting his systems, his body in perfect shape. Near by, the residual energy had started healing Hot Rod, stopping his bleeding.

Cyclonus looked from his fragile lover to Optimus Prime and ducked his head in respect towards the smaller bot. ''Please help him.'' Optimus didn't even wait for the Decepticon to finish, already scooting over towards the other injured bot. He repeated the process, also using Allspark energy, and Hot Rod was soon stable and peacefully recharging in his lover's arms, fully healed. ''Thank you.''

''For what?'' Optimus asked, bitterness in his voice. ''They almost died because of me. They shouldn't have been dragged into this. None of you should have been dragged into this.''

''Optimus, what are you talking about?'' His TIC asked, panic in her voice. She had heard him sad and angry and happy, but never so bitter and empty. The waves of guilt were practically pouring off of him like a physical force that was pushing everyone away, not allowing anyone near to either save or damage that fragile mech in its center. ''We chose to come with you! You didn't make us! We wanted to stay with you. You gave us all a choice, and we've made that decision on our own. And that decision, the choice we made and still stand by, was to never leave your side.''

''I agree with Slipstream, captain.'' Blurr slowed his speech to show how serious and sincere he was. ''We were allowed to leave at any point, but none of us want to leave. You are the reason we fought, and you are the rason we have hope for a better tomorrow. It is because of you that-''

''It's because of me that so many died!'' Optimus roared, placing his servos over his audios to keep out the protests he knew were going to come. He didn't want to listen to their declarations of loyalty and fate, he wasn't worthy of them. If he didn't hear them, he can make them leave. He could save lives by pushing everyone away, keeping the out. So many died because of him and their faith in him. He won't take anymore lives with his inspiring loyalty in them!

''- Cybertron will soon be united, that our war will end.'' Blurr continued as if he were not interrupted at all. I fhe had to, he would drill this into the other's tick helm personally. ''Our people will live in peace, equal, without threat from either the Council making bad decisions or outside threats of attacking armies. You united washouts and defeated the Decepticon High Command. You earned the loyalty of Minicons, Quintessons, Decepticons, Autobots and Autobot-Decepticon revived two Omega Sentinels-''

''Alpha Supreme never died and only one Quintesson and one Minicon are loyal to me. And Artemis is loyal to me only because for who I am-''

''Exactly!'' Slipstream cut him off this time. ''He's loyal to you because you are you, Optimus Prime!''

He chuckled bitterly, Slipstream proving his point without even knowing it. ''You can't change my mind, you two. You shouldn't have been involved in this.'' He walked off before anyone could rebut what he had said. 'No one should be involved in this... This is my family business and I don't want them offlined because of me. Perhaps it is for the best that I leave them all here? I could get to Cybertron using Vector's Blades and defeat the Quintessons, then disappear somewhere... That asteroid field would be the best place.'

He walked over to Artemis, who was praying to Primus to take Alpha Trion's old spark with care into the Well and allow him eternal rest. ''He's already passed.'' Optimus told the Quintesson, preparing for the third time the process to heal another mech with the help of the Allspark energy. Green optics turned to look at the Last remaining Prime and he bowed his head.

''I could not protect my Lord Alpha Trion, and for that I seek forgiveness, my Lord Optimus Prime.'' He said in his most formal tone of voice, perfectly aware of the others having come in to where he had been weeping his weakness and inability to protect Primes.

''I should seek you forgiveness, for putting you ins such a situation in the first place.'' The red and blue bot said as he activated the transfusion once again. Artemis stayed quiet until the procedure was done, before grabbing Optimus's blue servo, startling the grieving Prime.

''It is not your Prime heritage I have sworn my loyalty to, my Lord Optimus.'' He spoke in his ancient tongue, Optimus's processor easily adjusting to the shift in languages. ''What has happened is not your fault in any way. It is fate that has brought us all to this point, and the Thirteenth Prime or not, you have no power over fate and destiny.'' He placed his other servo over the one he was holding in his gray hands. ''They would not like to see you so sad, my Lord Optimus. You may grieve them, it is your right, but do not blame yourself. My Lords and Lady Prime would be most displeased. Besides, both myself and my Lord Alpha Trion had entered this fight knowing that anything can happen. My Lord Alpha Trion must have realized he would leave for the Well soon, he knew those kinds of things... He would not want you to blame yourself.''

Optimus stayed quiet and still for a moment, so much so that anyone who didn't know he was a living mech would have thought him a statue. However, he then reached forward and took the offlined form of his last remaining sibling and got up to his stabilizing servos with ease, not even grunting under the Archivist's weight. He turned and walked towards the hallways leading to the medical bay, the containers of Omega Key energy magnetized to his body with the help of the Chimera Stone.

''That's the thing, Artemis. There is no one else to blame.'' He said loud and clear in modern Cybertronian, so everyone could understand him, before walking out of the shuttle bay. The red and blue Prime was soon in the confines of the med bay, locking the doors behind him and placing Alpha Trion's gray, lifeless frame on one of the free berths as gently as he possibly could. He would prepare him a funeral back on Cybertron worthy of his status as Prime and make sure no one ever forgot him.

Optimus looked at the slack faceplate, took in every detail he already had memorized his whole function, remembered how the old bot had smiled and scowled and laughed and rolled his optics. He remembered the good times and the bad ones, the worries and the jokes, all the books they had read together or to one another. He remembered crawling out of the Well of Allsparks and seeing a familiar face he could not place, remembered being raised by this mech who had never become his mentor because he was his brother, remembered the sacrifices and the battle they had fought against Unicron, remembered that voice in a sea of others, all belonging to his other siblings, crying out for him not to go, not to leave them, to stay...

He remembered all that, the affection and love and he finally broke down.

Optimus Prime, the Thirteenth born Prime, most perfect creation of both Primus and his bondmate and spark-twin brother, the Last Prime and the center of the Allspark, broke down like a little, lost sparkling, crawled into the berth holding his brother's body, snuggled up into it and cried his optics out in his anguish. He remembered all those he could not save, his siblings he could not stop, those who had trusted in him enough to give their lives for him and he wept. Sparks overheated his optics and coolant rushed down his faceplate to stop those same spark from causing damage. He clung to the shell of his brother and cried, cried for the siblings that were forever out of his reach, for the people that were destined to always fight in needless wars, for the mechs and femmes who had followed him today and were damaged. He cried for Artemis, whose brother he had killed, and for Thamast, whose father he had killed. He cried for Alpha Trion, who was killed because of his deeds, and he cried for those who he had had to repair moments ago. He cried for those who were bound by destiny to him and he cried for his trine, for Blackarachnia, for Alpha Supreme, who were cursed to share such strong bonds with him.

And he cried for Megatron, who was his sparkmate but wasn't allowed to see just what he had gotten himself into. He cried for the pain he knows he'll bring the Deceptcon and for the pain he himself will feel when Megatron decides to destroy their bond.

He knows the others are worried for him, but he can be strong for them later. He knows that they will want their leader, their guide, but he cannot face them now. He will later, when he can look them in the optics without flinching in guilt. He knows Megatron is waiting outside, asking to be let in, but he can't let him in now and see him in such a state. He feels the Matrix trying to comfort him, but he dean't let it right now. It will be allowed to do so later, but not now. He knows Cybertron needs him, but he can save it later.

But now, he could grieve.


	29. Chapter 29

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: Hi! Another chapter, rather long, too. I don't have much to say, but I would like to thank my reviewers for being so wonderful, especially** **skyice98, Gunmetal2017 and Bigbucks, who have so far reviewed every chapter. You're all wonderful! *hugs***

 **WARNINGS: Angst, robot sex, OOC-ness, Cybertronian swearing.**

As a sultry song played in the background, the blue servo of one Optimus Prime reached for another shot of Vosian visco and easily drank it in one go. As soon as his cup was down, the bartender, a pretty blue organic with four big eyes and round fingers, shorter than him by five heads, refilled it with a wink, leaving her equivalent of this planet's phone number beside his cup. Optimus ignored the slip of paper as he took the visco and downed it just as quickly as he had the last one, before leaning heavily on his servos, optics trained on a spot of oil in front if his face.

He could hear the other female guests giggling in his direction, talking to each other how he was far too handsome to be of a different species and how it was such a shame he was not organic. On the other side of the bar, he saw some Kukuzor mech looking him up and down shamelessly and it made him feel sick to his tanks. He was not an energon goodie for them all to stare at him like that! He was a Primus-created Prime! Not that any of them knew that. Besides, the people of Liki 9 were known not only for being the best farmers of crystals but also for their sexual appetite and their shamelessness when it came to pursuing partners.

While he had been crying on Alpha Trion's offlined chestplates, their ships had received a hail from the planet that had witnessed the battle. Having seen that the Quintessons were about to blow the to kingdom come, the residents of Liki 9 had prepared themselves for the worse. Luckily, Optimus's sword, the Hunter, had quite easily absorbed all of the energy from the explosion so no damage was caused whatsoever. Feeling immense gratitude towards the young Prime, they had insisted that their savior and his friends all come down planet-side so they can reward them for their bravery. Optimus shook hands with the organic who was responsible for running the planet, a nice female with orange skin and slanted four eyes, before they were promised that whatever they decided to purchase on the planet was for free, except the raw crystals themselves.

His friends were excited and Ironhide dragged Blackarachnia off so the femme could fulfill her promise of helping him find a present for the femme he wanted to court. The seekers all went to a bar as soon as Ratchet, Artemis and First Aid gave them a clean bill. Strika went to purchase star maps and weapons, Lugnut following her like a lost cyberpup after Megatron told him he wanted to be left alone. He must have wanted to have some alone time with Optimus, but the Prime had been long gone by the time the tyrant had shook off all of his followers. He had seen Blurr and Shockwave going into the town, and he knew that Sari, Bumblebee, the Jettwins and Blitzwing had went out exploring. Bulkhead had went into an art gallery while Brawn and Hot Shot took Optimus's lead and disappeared off to somewhere. He didn't know for the others, but he could guess that Lockdown was trying to get Prowl to go on a short date with him and he wondered if Jazz was going to follow them to keep an optic on them or if he will try to find the youngsters before they get lost. Ultra Magnus was staying with Sigma, the two finally getting some time to really talk to each other and Cyclonus was ordered to berthrest after Ratchet found that the glitch had been leaking for quite some time without ever telling anyone, so he guessed that Hot Rod will stay with him. Roller and Artemis had tried to follow him like Megatron had, but Optimus had easily lost them in the crowded streets.

Optimus took another shot of his visco, not even caring that he shouldn't be drinking such rich energon. He was not a seeker or a flightframe, despite him having wings now. His tanks weren't meant for it, but he couldn't give a slag. It worked fast and it was strong, probably one of the only things that could mess with a Prime's soberness. He didn't want to be aware and sober, to be able to so accurately feel that hollowness caused by the twelve missing sparks he had been aware of since he was created only to never feel them again after he was reborn. He wanted to forget, even if for a moment, that he was a lone Prime in a time that didn't remember them nor respect him and his brethren and all they had done for this accursed Universe.

After he had put Alpha Trion down, answered the hail and fixed Alpha Supreme with the energy from the Omega Lock he still had with him, Optimus had been on autopilot, right up to the point when he had entered this bar and stopped himself from asking for high grade and instead ordered visco. That had been over two joors ago and he should be heading out soon. It's going to get dark soon, if the local he had asked when nightfall is is to be believed, and the deal had been that they return at nightfall so they could rest and then they're to leave for Cybertron in the morning. It had only been approved of because Strika, too, had wanted to mourn Trion and Optimus suspected that she was off somewhere drinking like he was. He wouldn't be surprised, Alpha Trion had saved her life and her freedom. She had stayed with him for half an orn and had built a strong if strange friendship with his brother.

Realizing that his systems were starting to protest the visco, Optimus gave in and asked for a barrel of warm oil. It was served just as quickly as all his other orders were and Optimus had to remember to tip the bartender, she was sent by Primus, he was sure, just to serve him tonight. Unlike the visco, he sipped at the warm liquid and enjoyed the warmth it spread through his overstressed systems. His tanks sang at the addition of something that might help them work through the visco and Optimus relaxed back against the bar.

Tomorrow, he might just lose the rest of his friends. He has a plan as to how to protect Cybertron and give its people quite a few protectors in the process, but it will cost him his secret. He didn't know how they will react but he was sure that they will at least feel betrayed. He had already faced the fact that Megatron will probably leave him, Blackarachnia will never trust him again and who knows what the rest will do. Artemis will stay with him, or at least try to... And even if his friends don't leave, they'll stop _being_ his friends. They'll just treat him how his status befits and he'll be alone in a room full of mechs and femmes... all over again, like he had been before Elita One took pity on the little sparkling he had been, like it had been after the incident on Archa Seven. Everyone will keep him out as much as _he_ will keep _them_ out, they no longer trusting him, he not wanting to get hurt.

But what hurt the most was that he could have told Megatron, should have told him from the beginning, instead now fearing and wondering if the Decepticon Lord will break their bond. Optimus snorted, taking a large gulp of his oil. Of course Megatron will break their bond, no matter how the termination of a bond hurts. If there was one thing Megatron hated, besides stupidity and Autobot way of ruling, it was traitors. Starscream was forgiven because he had lost his trine, their and his own sparkling and his mate in the war under Megatron's leadership, so the Decepticon Supreme Leader understood and tolerated the seeker for many stellar cycles.

What could Optimus possible say as his defense? Would he even be allowed to defend himself? Would any of them even want to listen? Would anyone even believe him about his origin story? He knows that in times such as these, when prayers to his Creator consisted of only "Dear Primus!" in surprise or horror, it is very farfetched that the Thirteen Primes even existed, that he and his brothers and sister were considered nothing more but myth or fictional beings the First Generation made up for no apparent logical reason. Why would a bunch of atheists believe him? Sure, they say they believe in Primus, but when they say Primus, they mean the Allspark, and while the Allspark _is_ a fragment of Primus's Spark, it is also part of what Optimus once was. In fact, he was more the creator of the Allspark than Primus was, because it had been his idea. Primus had been very much content with his thirteen children. It was Optimus who had wanted more life on their planet and it was Optimus who had began the process of turning the energy in his spark, still so pure as if he had never seen shed energon nor battle, that would turn him, both body and spark, into a relic that gave life.

Primus had given him his blessing to stop his brothers however he saw fit.

Optimus decided to create a race they will have to sparklingsit for the rest of their lives.

Despersing his own crystallized once spark to keep it from Megatron... It was an easy decision, even if he had not known at the time that the Allspark was his. It had been weird, but he had had a mission back then, a task he couldn't fail at, and that was to keep the Allspark from Decepticon servos. He should have been courtmartailed, but what would that accomplish? It wouldn't have brought the Allspark back, while his presence alone made it react. Had he not been in the same city as Prowl and Jazz when the two ninja bots tried to out it back together... Well, Prowl would have died for nothing.

''You're a hard bot to find.'' An, usually, obnoxious voice said behind him,startling him and making his audio finials stand up. Sentinel chuckled at the well-known reaction of his friend and sat beside the other Prime, ordering a barrel of oil and turning to look at his friend. He noticed the cup that had held visco up until that point and when Sentinel recognized the liguid, he turned horrified optics on the red and blue Prime. ''Are you glitched, Optimus?! Please don't tell me you've been drinking Vosian visco!''

''Fine, I won't tell you I've been drinking Vosian visco.'' Was the deadpan reply, making Sentinel fume.

''Your tanks are not made for visco, Optimus! You could have seriously hurt your systems.'' The blue and orange Prime growled at his companion, making Optimus give him a very flat look that only infuriated Sentinel more. ''You're not purposefully trying to hurt yourself, are you?'' He asked with worry clear in his voice.

''No, Sentinel, I'm not and I'm fine.'' Came the sighed reply. ''I only want to be left alone to mourn, so if you don't mind,'' He didn't have to finish it as he gulped down the rest of his oil and then ordered high grade. Sentinel scowled when the bartender immediately served Optimus, and only after a few more minutes gave Sentinel his oil but he ignored it for the moment.

''Actually, I do mind. This isn't like you. I know you and Elita used to go for a drink or five, but you never drank alone and you very rarely got overcharged. Yet, now, as we're talking, I can detect a subtle slur to your words.'' The big-chinned Prime took a sip of his own drink, frowning when Optimus kicked back his high grade like it was low grade energon and asked for another. ''Good stuff.''

''I prefer Cybertronian.'' Was all the reply he got before Optimus took half of his cup's contents in one go and left the rest for his next intake.

''Why are you pushing me away, Optimus?'' The other finally asked. ''Better yet, why are you pushing _everyone_ away, including Megatron?'' Optimus was quiet, thinking of his bonded and feeling over their bond that Megatron was searching for him, worried. It made his spark clench, knowing what a wonderful mate he has, yet also knowing that he will probably lose that same mate in a matter of days. ''What are you afraid of?''

This got Optimus's full attention. He locked his royal blue optics with Sentinel's, such a familiar shade of blue actually showing worry for him instead contempt like the past thousand years. ''What makes you think I'm afraid of something?'' He answered his question with another question, something he knew Sentinel hated from the very bottom of his spark and being. And true enough, his friend twitched, but didn't raise to the bait. Would you look at that; Sentinel was learning.

''I may not be your Amica Endura, but I do know you, Optimus. The only times you withdraw from everyone is when you're insecure or afraid. Even Alpha Trion, Primus bless his old spark, was no exception.'' Optimus flinched at the mention of both his brother and his Carrier. Sentinel's annoyance immediately turned to concern and worry, softening his features. ''You don't have to bear the fate of the universe on your shoulderstruts, Optimus.'' (if only Sentinel knew) ''At least, not alone. You have friends who would give their lives for you,'' And here the younger (as far as Sentinel knew) mech looked like he was going to purge his tanks. ''Who trust in you and believe in you. Why not share some of the burden with them?''

''Because it is only my burden to bare, and not only that, but I don't want any more mechs to die because of me.''

''What are you talking about Optimus?''

''Elita One, Blackarachnia, Prowl, Primal Major and now Alpha Trion. They all died because of me, either trying to protect me or believing in me. I wasn't strong enough or fast enough to save them, so they died.'' The other said in an almost hallow voice.

''Optimus, Elita One and Blackarachnia are one and the same, as you already know, and she's alive-''

''SHE DIED TWICE BECAUSE OF ME!''

''-and so is Prowl. As for Alpha Trion and Primal Major... I'm sure they wouldn't want you kicking yourself over their deaths. Like you said, they died believing in you and protecting you. Aren't you disrespecting them by mourning their sacrifice instead of being thankful for it and praying to Primus to give them peace in the Well? Isn't that what you had once told that old commander, what was his name? Scratch, or something, while we were still in the Academy, remember? He came back from a mission as the only survivor, with whatever objective they were sent out to complete finished, and he was mourning them and you told him that without sacrifice, there was no victory, told him that crying over that sacrifice only belittled everything the others had fought for and believed in. If it applied to him, why can't it apply to you?''

Optimus looked at Sentinel and actually cracked a small smile. ''Who are you and what have you done with my obnoxious friend, the real Sentinel Prime?''

Said bot snorted despite his best efforts and that smile spread a little more. ''Good to see you coming back to your old, annoyingly sarcastic self.'' Sentinel said with another sip at his drink. Optimus finished his and ordered another, finishing that one just as quickly, but not drinking the next one immediately. ''So, why _are_ you keeping Megatron out?'' The red and blue bot looked at his companion, taking the first sip of his drink. He actually savored the taste this time, some of the sadness gone with his first smile since Alpha Trion's death. ''He's worried bonkers, you know? Searching the town and I think he even demanded from Alpha Supreme to give him your location, but the shipformer said he doesn't know. Is that true or did you tell him to say that?''

''Alpha doesn't know where I am.''

''You're still not answering the important question.'' Sentinel pointed out with an accusing tilt to his voice. Optimus sighed, wondering if having Sentinel as a friend, a true, good one this time, was more trouble than it was worth. ''I am not leaving until you answer.''

''I don't want him feeling my pain right now. He'll want to alleviate it, but he can't and it will only make him frustrated and even more worried.'' It _was_ one of the reasons Optimus didn't want to go to Megatron just yet. Besides, he had not wanted to be comforted. He had still yet to allow the Matrix of Leadership to do its job and protect his spark from his own turmoil. ''Besides, I'd have to explain what happened with me and that Quintesson, too. And with the sword and the explosion... I didn't feel up to it.''

''By the way, _what_ is up with that Quintesson?'' The blue and orange Elite Guard member asked curiously and Optimus chuckled at the way Sentinel completely ignored the fact Optimus had just told him he _didn't_ want to discus it. ''He looks like your Second in Command.''

''They're related, Sentinel.'' It must have been the visco, oil and high grade making him open up. Optimus only hoped that his inhibitions stayed long enough that he didn't reveal anything vital to his secrets. ''Artemis is his mother's brother, his uncle, he called him, Sari said that it's the same on Earth.''

''Whatever.'' He waved it off, taking another sip of his oil and seeing that he was almost at the end, ordered another one. ''So, what's up with him?''

''He's Quintessa's only son, meaning that he's her heir and the current younger Prince of the Quintessons, Artemis being the older. He wanted revenge for the death of Pepest, his father figure. A sire,'' He explained when Sentinel shot him a strange look at the organic title of parenthood. ''He thought it was Alpha Trion,'' He almost shocked on his own glossa while he made the name pass through his vocalizer and down his drink, asking for another. ''That killed Pepest, he fought Artemis because he was protecting him and when I revealed it was me, he decided to blow us all up. I managed to figure out how the sword worked and somehow absorbed the impact of the explosion, thus saving us all, then I found Megatron... Well, actually, he found me and we returned together, then we dragged in Thamast, the other Quintesson, in and he's in the cell on Sigma Supreme right now.''

''What do you plan to do with him?''

Optimus shrugged. ''Give him a message he's going to deliver to his mother as soon as they find his pod.''

''You're going to let him go, just like that?''

He got himself a rather strange look at that. ''If you think I'll indulge in petty revenge, then you don't know me at all ,Sentinel.'' Optimus knocked back his drink and asked for another, getting it just as Sentinel got his own second barrel of oil. ''But, yes. I'll let him go. He only wanted justice for his uncle, and despite it being a sick and twisted form of justice, he grew up knowing nothing else, no real justice. That's why I'm going to punish Quintessa herself, and not her son.''

Sentinel did the biggest spit-take Optimus had ever seen, almost spraying over other guests on nearby tables. The bartender tsked at him, but didn't do anything else but call a cleaning drone to wipe up the mess. Sentinel turned back to Optimus after getting his coughing under control. ''Are you experiencing a malfunction?'' Blue optics were wide with shock and fear as they stared at the Last Prime. ''You'll never even get close to her! And besides, we need to protect Cybertron, not fight a futile battle! And even if you did, somehow, get to Quintessa, you saw what kind of fighters they are! I know you're good Optimus, but are you good enough to take her on and walk away with all of your limbs, or even just walk away?''

Optimus raised an optical ridge at this companion.

''Well? Do you think you could take her on and live?''

''Hmm,'' He appreciated his drink as he slowly sipped it, only to rail Sentinel up a little more. ''We'll just have to see, won't we?''

Sentinel's jaw dropped and Optimus laughed his first laugh since Alpha Trion offlined. The other shook his helm, but was glad to see that Optimus was doing somewhat better. It was a far cry from the red and blue bot's usual self, and it will be a long time before he accepted the old mech's death, but he was finally starting on that hard journey. ''You're insane.''

''Nope, that's Blitzwing.''

''I'm serious, Optimus!''

''So am I!''

They stared at each other before bursting out laughing, getting everyone's attention. The females all sighed dreamily at the sound of Optimus's laughter and the interested males grumbled for not being the ones to make that sound appear.

They stayed there until night time, Optimus too overcharged to walk on his own so Sentinel had to give him a piggyback ride, the younger Prime slumbering on his shoulder and mumbling things in his sleep Sentinel could never hope to understand. It made him think of old times, when Elita and Optimus would go out and get smashed, but Elita always managed to hold out from passing out until she got to her berth, while Optimus mostly passed out at the table or the bar. Elita would have barely enough bearings to comm Sentinel to come and escort them home, he being the only one she trusted not to cope a feel while carrying Optimus, and then they would make the trek from wherever the two got wasted to their rooms. Optimus used to murmur strange things back then, too, sometimes in the normal language everyone spoke in Iacon, some times in another dialect that they could place but didn't know and then there were times like now, when whatever it was he was trying to say sounded like gibberish.

The last time Sentinel had done this was after they returned from Archa Seven, minus Elita, and Optimus had gotten so wasted that had Sentinel not gotten a ping from the bar owner that Optimus had frequented with his Amica Endura and thus knew the once cadet, Optimus would have been raped that night by some shady character Sentinel to this day thought was a Decepticon sympathizer.

He briefly wondered what Megatron would do if he found out. He shuddered after a moment, knowing that the tyrant would have probably ripped the guy limb from limb if he got his clawed servos on him.

He was glad to see the ships not that far ahead of them and released a sigh of relief. Sure, he was strong and Optimus wasn't usually this heavy, but the Prime now had a jetpack integrated with his systems, he carried around a big sword and an equally big cannon and who knows what else. He was, as such, heavier than Sentinel remembered, and warmer too. He briefly wondered why he couldn't feel the thumping and swirling of Optimus's strong spark through their plating, like he usually always could when they were younger, but the sound of flight thrusters interrupted his inner musings.

He looked up just in time to see Megatron transform from his Cybertronian fighter jet mode into his root mode and the tyrant quickly observed the situation. When Sentinel felt scans running over both his and Optimus's frames, he held still and when it was over and the Decepticon sighed in relief, Sentinel relaxed as well. Megatron made a motion for the younger mech to hand over the warlord's mate and Sentinel didn't hesitate. All of the remaining tension left Megatron as soon as he had Optimus in his arms and Sentinel wondered if he would feel such peace and relief if he and Blackarachnia bonded and he held her close.

''Thank you for finding him. I had looked all over the place and was about to visit the nearest town to check thee.''

Sentinel was shocked by the sincerity of the words directed at him by the tyrant. He suddenly felt flustered for the gratitude and briefly wondered if this was how Optimus felt whenever someone thanked him for his kindness. ''It was nothing. He was just in a nearby bar, getting overcharged.'' He explained and Megatron nodded, inclined his helm and thanks once again and turned to leave, ready to bring his mate in for some recharge so he can work through the drinks he had consumed.

''Wait!''

Megatron turned to look at him, still holding Optimus close. Said mech had snuggled closer against the strong, beating spark of his lover and seemed content. ''Yes?''

''Please... Be careful with him. He thinks he should be blamed for everything bad that happens, so just... Take care of him and don't hurt him.''

Megatron gave him a considering look, as if not understanding Sentinel at all, but not his words, rather his actions. ''I wasn't plaining on doing so. But I will give you my solemn word that I will take care of him to the best of my ability. As for blaming himself for everything... I'll see what I can do to get rid of that martyr complex he seems to have.'' And with that, Megatron marched off with his beloved in his arms.

Sentinel's own beloved was waiting for him on board Sigma Supreme, a big, thankful and proud smile on her faceplates. When Sentinel raised an optic ridge at her, she just chuckled, leaned in to press a kiss to his cheekplate and sauntered off with only three words that warmed Sentinel's spark.

''You did good.''

00000

Optimus woke three joor later with a splitting helm-ache and protesting tanks. He looked at his chronometer and was surprised that he had slept only those three and half joors. Sentinel must have brought him back to his ship, because Optimus could feel Alpha's presence and he knew he was on his berth. And not only that, but there was a pair of strong arms around him, holding him close, making him feel loved, wanted and protected. Even if he wasn't bonded to Megatron, he would have known he was safe. Sentinel never left him out when he was overcharged, not even that one time after Elita's supposed death. He guessed that in his own way, Sentinel had been true friend from the beginning, though it would seem that separation of a thousand and fifty two stellar cycles, teaming up with Decepticons and a Quintesson and traveling through the Universe was what was needed for them to realize that they were practically as much Amica Endura as Optimus and Elita are.

'Maybe I should suggest it?'

Stirring from behind him drew his attention away from his complicated friendships to look at his bonded over his shoulderstrut and Optimus's spark sang at the sight of the still relaxed faceplate of his larger lover. Megatron was always so tense that Optimus had learned to treasure these few times he had seen Megatron with his guard somewhat down, because he was not foolish enough to believe a warframe ever had their guard fully down. He turned so he was facing Megatron, enjoying those darks servos tightening around him and drawing him closer, and he leaned in to get a closer look to the faceplates he had learned so easily to love. He reached a tentative servo up to the gray face and hesitated before stroking a finger over a strong cheek. Megatron twitched in his sleep, but he still remained in recharge. The red and blue Prime couldn't help but marvel at how relaxed Megatron was just by holding him.

Did he meant that much to the Decepticon?

If so, then perhaps Optimus had nothing to worry about and should just tell him who and just what he was...

Yet he still feared losing Megatron, if not to his true identity, than to the danger of being with a Prime.

Primes can not be selfish. As his siblings had proven over and over again, Primes put their people above themselves. They stand as a shield, protecting the weak and fighting the wicked. If there ever came a time he would need to take up the mantle of a Prime, he would have to leave Megatron behind and risk his very life and spark because of their bond... He didn't want Megaron to offline because of him. It was undignified that a warrior such as Megatron was to die because of his mate and not in a glorious battle.

''You think too loudly.'' Optimus nearly reached for the Star Saber when Megatron's rumbling voice shook him out of his thoughts, startling him enough that he actually squeaked. Megatron chuckled and drew his mate closer, kissing his crested helm and enjoying how Optimus melted against him, before drawing the smaller mech's face up so he could steal a real kiss. Optimus was more than happy to oblige, opening his mouth to that skilled glossa and letting Megatron ravish him.

In his emotional state and after all that potent energon he had consumed, Optimus was quick to arouse and just seeing his bonded so hot and bothered made Megatron's interfacing array more than interested. Knowing his mate was distressed and in need of a balanced combination of loving touches as gentle as an organic feather, and rougher, lustful strokes, the tyrant was careful with Optimus, making sure the Prime underneath him overloaded at least twice before plunging into that weeping port.

Optimus cried out as his valve was filled so fully, the emptiness in him trying to spread but Megatron's presence chasing it away. Finally finding its chance it had been waiting for for many joors, the Matrix of Leadership joined Megatron's presence and chased away the stress and sadness. Loving warmth spread through the young mech as these two forces, so different and yet with the same goal, seared through him, chasing away his doubts and leaving behind only pleasure and love. Seeing and hearing his mate enjoying it so much, the Decepticon picked up the paste and Optimus screamed, begging for more, telling Megaron not to stop, never to stop, that it felt so good.

The Decepticon Supreme Commander more than enjoyed fulfilling his lover's demands. He went faster, harder, deeper, slowed down just to torture his mate and make him beg anew. Still not used to such pleasure, Optimus came, body taut and back arched into the larger mech, baring his neck to that talented intake. Megatron took the offering and lavished it with great attention while he slowed down, the oversensitive valve twitching around his spike. When more lubricants started pouring out from their joined interface equipment, Optimus bucked his hips, surprising Megatron with the movement and moaned at the feeling. Megatron couldn't keep in his own groan as he started up again.

It seemed like a small eternity before Megatron requested Optimus to open up his spark while kissing him senseless and Optimus had no qualms in doing so. The merge felt like coming home, but this time Optimus wanted the reassurance of another's spark so close to his so much that he never realized he made the Matrix back off and fully merged with Megatron. Without the protection of the Matrix, many of Optimus's secrets poured over the bond, but there were so many and were so strange that Megatron couldn't make heads or tails from one memory to the other. He knew he often saw eleven strange mechs and a femme all looking at him (in truth Optimus) with such love and affection he felt suffocated at the same time as he felt elevated, like he was flying. It was overwhelming, but Optimus had seemed to revel in it. He thought he had seen Alpha Trion among them, but he was not sure. He saw so many happy moments with these bots, then he saw their deaths, but it didn't look like the other memories of them looked. It was as if it was not Optimus who had witnessed their deaths, but rather that someone had given him these memories.

He felt two powerful presences in some memories, sometime together, but most of the times apart and he wondered what those were. He felt love and protectiveness from both, but he didn't know what to make of them. He saw a flash image of Cybertron with its six moons, saw something that looked like transformation seams on all seven orbs and knew not what they meant.

Among the strange things he saw in Optimus's mind, he saw Metroplex, an ancient city that had been abandoned centuries before even the first displeasure was shown for the mistreatment of warframes. He saw other strange cities, all similar but different, in the same way all the Omega Sentinels resembled each other but were still different. He was shocked when he saw what looked like flying beasts roaming Cybertron's skies, only to watch them leave and never see them again. He watched in fascination as the War for Freedom replayed to him like a movies, seeing enemies coming at him from both his own optics (Optimus's, he thought, not knowing that the memories were from Optimus's offlined brothers) and someone else's point of view. He watched a white form launch itself at the Quintessons and slash across the skies, a white explosion of energy destroying the attacking forces and forcing the Quintessons in retreat, then he watches a dark, almost black figure fly deep into Quitesson space and fire a cannon that strongly resembled Optimus's new weapon, leaving nothing but destruction and death in its wake.

Then, the Matrix whiplashed Megatron out of Optimus's most intimate memories of his days with his family, but Optimus still allowed his lover to see his new life.

Megatron felt rage building in him as he watched various sparklings and younglings ignoring and avoiding his little lover. He saw through someone else's optics as Optimus, so fragile and cute and oh so painfully small, sat alone under a cluster of crystals in Iacon's gardens, reading a data pad. The future Autobot Prime was then approached by a yellow and light purple femme, who plopped down beside him and started asking questions. If Optimus had not been cute before, he was downright adorable now, his cheeks flushed and his continuance flustered at someone talking with him. It was painfully obvious he was lonely and it tore up Megatron's spark to see such happiness at one person speaking to him.

He watched as the two sparklings became friends and realized that the femme must have been Blackarachnia, or Elita One as she had been called before. He observed how Elita all but dragged Sentinel to sit with her new, younger friend. Optimus flushed under the blue sparkling's scrutiny and bowed his head bashfully. Elita pushed Sentinel and the big-chinned sparkling started speaking with his little lover. Megatron found himself surprised to see both protectiveness and distaste growing in Sentinel as he got to know the red and blue adorable sparkling more and more, and as they grew up, he realized that it was not quite distaste or envy... Sentinel had spent most of his young life being jealous and feeling threatened by Optimus, his skill and friendliness to such degrees that he had started distancing himself from the other Autobot.

When Optimus's memories from his Academy days played, Megatron was surprised by how fast the bot was advancing in his classes. It earned him both admiration and hatred. Sentinel and Elita protected him from both admirers and haters, not wanting their friend to be involved with such crowds; Optimus was so innocent back then, yet never naive. He was even more surprised when the VR simulation of a fight with him came up.

For all that he was inexperienced, the little Prime held better than any other cadet had that day. The simulation started from the basic level, one Megatron was disgusted to see that the Autobots truly thought he had even when he was overcharged so much he couldn't walk in a straight line. The level of skill to test would grow and the simulation itself was built from Megatron's previous battles so it held his strategies when fighting, his moves, his taunts, his strengths and his weaknesses that were far too well protected for even experienced warriors to hit. Optimus had fought last that day, many a cadets going in before him and taunting everyone that they would show the losers how it's done, only to leave the chamber with their proverbial tails between their legs.

Optimus had bee vibrating with excitement that day, not being able to wait patiently for his turn. Elita and Sentinel teased him for his eagerness, but the other was in too good a mood to be bothered, even by Elita's innuendos (she must have already found out about Optimus's crush by then) and Sentinel's increasingly hostile mocking. Their drill sergeant - Kup, Optimus's memories provided him with the old mech's name - had teased Optimus as well that he lived up to his name with his optimism that this VR would teach them something, when the plan was to show them the horrors of Decepticon might and just why they were to be stopped. He had kept it secret that the Magnus had come to observe them, but the Autobot Commander had shown an interest in Optimus (this was once again from another mech's point of view and Megatron began to wonder just who it was that had observed this), his scores and his grades, so he had made sure to pay extra attention when he and his friends were up next.

Sentinel had been the first to face the VR Megatron and the real warlord would have laughed his aft off when he saw that the big-chinned Prime so full of himself was thrown out no sooner than the rest of the pathetic Autobots that became part of the Elite Guard later on. He hadn't even taken out his swords.

The VR Megatron just as easily defeated Elita One, so much as throwing her out of the VR chamber in less than a breem. It would seem that the record on this exercise was a breem, three kliks and five nanoseconds.

 _'Pathetic, that this is the army fighting my Decepticons.'_

When Optimus was called up, the whole room quieted down, everyone anticipating how their star cadet would fail. Megatron sneered as viciously as Elita had and the only thing stopping the femme from making a scene was Sentinel holding her back. As Optimus stepped into the VR chamber, Ultra Magnus walked into the waiting room to get a better look at the young cadet. The red and blue mech was preparing himself, but he had yet to take out his weapon, as his instructor reprimanded him for it. When the cadet didn't follow the instruction that was slowly turning into an order, Ultra motioned for the VR simulation to begin.

The glass doors closed behind Optimus and the mech's battle mask slid in place and Megatron felt Optimus's excitement and nervousness at facing a Decepticon, even if only a sparing program. He felt his spark beat quickening and realized that Optimus had truly loved him for a very long time as he watched the future Prime dodge the simulation's first swing.

The battle he watched was a weak and childish version of their many conflicts over the time they had personally known each other. Optimus was notably more skilled than any of the other cadets before him, showing tactical thinking and research in the way he seemed to know what to expect. He had watched all fights very carefully, studying the VR and comparing it to the holovids he had seen in the Archives, finding the flaws he could use and trying to remember the simulation's weaknesses. It paid off and the scientist behind the simulator had to rapidly up the level of skill for the little Prime to compete with. By the time Optimus 'died', the system was overheating and although he was teased for losing, the teasing stopped when it was revealed that he had made the greatest score in Academy history.

He watched as the other mature, he saw the incident that kicked him out of the Academy and the Elite Guard forever, observed Optimus's first interaction with his new team, and he found the Prime even more attractive and desirable than before. He watched their first fight, saw the bravery, the defiance and the stubbornness all over again and remembered being stunned by such traits in such a pretty and frail looking Autobot.

Their many clashes after that, Optimus's life on Earth,the Elite Guard's attempts at making him submit and lie being thwarted (Megatron was very glad that his actions against Starscream had kept the young Autobot on Earth so he can fight him again, even if it had ended up with him defeated and an Autobot prisoner) and their final battle, Optimus's reluctance to use the Magnus Hammer, everything, flashed by just as quickly as the other memories had, but Megatron could make them out since he had some idea what they were. The return to Cyertron and finding it even worse off than it had been hen he had left, seeing the paranoia and reading Megatron's old speeches, searching for the original, uncensored records...

Then came the realization of what Megatron's fate might be, the horror that he had had a servo in it, not wanting to see Megatron neither enslaved nor dead, the defiance in the Council Chamber, his kidnapping, his interaction with Primal Major, the old bots death and everything else from that point on... Megatron saw and relived it all with his little lover.

And he felt the insecurities, the fear of being left alone, and the Decepticon realized that Optimus was petrified by the thought that Megatron might find something that will make the tyrant leave him. Megatron couldn't have cared less if Optimus was a serial killer, as long as the Prime loved him and as long as Megatron could hold him. He sent such reassurances to his lover, hoping that Optimus will never doubt his place in Megatron's spark.

Meanwhile, Optimus had been drowning in Megatron, his love for him and the warlord's memories. They weren't as overwhelming to the Prime as Optimus's were for Megatron. There was nothing even comparably ancient there as there was in Optimus's life before time began. He still enjoyed Megatron's brief sparklinghood, loved seeing his mate so passionate, even if it was only in the throws of battle. He observed his mate's interactions with his brother and his now High Command, and he watched sad, as Megatron had to banish his spark twin. Megazarak had seemed like a fine mech and Optimus wouldn't mind at all meeting his new brother by bond ( **A/N:** Equal to a brother in law). He was glad to see that he had survived, although he had known that Megazarak was alive when Megatron told him what had caused Ultra Magnus to look stupefied during the party after he had completed his mission. He got some memories from him, as well, a result of being bonded to one of the split-spark twins. He was surprised by how close Starscream and Megatron had once been and was glad to feel his bonded's relief at getting loyal friend back.

The tyrant's initial meeting with Lugnut must have been Optimus's favorite memory, seeing as the big, lumbering Decepticon had flattened Megatron to the ground when he was first delivered to the Gladiatorial Arena in Kaon and Megatron had tore into him quite viciously for it while Megazarak laughed off to the side. It was surprising that the spark-twins and Lugnut had arrived there at about the same time, while Strika had already been there for a long time. She had observed as the very much impressed and enamored Lugnut started following his new lord and master, annoying Megaron to no ends and amusing his twin just as much. However, Megatron changed his attitude towards the lumbering Decepticon when Lugnut stopped one of Megatron's soon-to-be opponents from killing the future Deceptcion Lord in his recharge. Lugnut had been all to thrilled to stay even closer to the gray mech, once again annoying the warmonger, but Megatron stopped snapping at him all the time and over time grew somewhat fond of the purple and green warframe.

Strika surprised Optimus with hating Megatron at first, having believe the younger of the new spark-twins to be arrogant and too demanding. His charisma, as well as his brother's, had started gathering them followers and both brothers wanted a reform, freedom for their fellow warbuilds, and were more than willing to fight for it. Both had quite the silver glossa and they drew other in like flame does to cybermoths. She had expressed her distaste for the twins and Megazarak had only sneered at her, challenging her to a fight, but Megatron had seen her potential, had seen in her his future General of Destruction that was feared even by the infamous DJD, and he had insisted that instead of Strika fighting against him or his brother, she fight just one match _with_ them.

The big femme had accepted the challenge, thinking that if he saw her prowess, Megatron would be intimidated and stop this foolishness before it made things even worse for them. They had fought, he, Strika and Lugnut against some team from Tarn, and they had won. Strika had not spoken to either him or to his for now most loyal follower after the victory, but she had turned up whenever it was only Megatron speaking. She, too, once saved him, but from a guard who was payed to injure Megatron so the up-to-now undefeated Champion of the Pits in Kaon was defeated by Tyger Pax's champion. When asked why, she said she would not allow her Lord's name be sullied with such a disgraceful defeat.

She never left his side since.

Optimus experienced Megatron's loses with every defeat in the war, his anger at the extinguished sparks of his warriors, the awe and fear he had felt at the Omega Sentinels, the reluctant admiration he had for Autobot Space bridges. He saw Megatron's first encounter with Swindle, how quickly the black merchant took a liking to the Decepticon Lord and how he always told Megatron first about any new merchandise he has. The purple-opticed mech proclaimed the warlord his favorite customer and was actually fond of him. Well, as fond as 'strictly business' can be.

Megatron's first experience with a bounty on his helm was rather interesting. It had actually been Lockdown who had tried his servo at capturing the Terror of Kaon. The bounty hunter had never lost a target to that point and was overconfident in his abilities and skills to capture the gray mech. He had set his sights on Megatron's Fusion Cannon, a one of a kind weapon none have seen before, created and shaped solely from Megatron's spark and was as thus impossible to replicate. Of course, Megatron wasn't Champion of the Arena for nothing and Lockdown found that out the hard way. However, impressed with his skills, Megatron paid the bounty hunter to instead kill the one who had ordered Megatron's death. Ever since, Lockdown mostly worked for the Decepticons, despite being ''neutral''.

All the loses, the defeats, the extinguished sparks and the destroyed cities... Optimus finally understood. He may be Prime, but he had never cared for more than a handful of sparks and it had always been Prima that held the title of leader. He had only been his right hand, so to speak, his second in command... And that had only been because the Matrix of Leadership quite literally couldn't be taken out of his body. Or at least that's what Optimus liked to tell himself. Even to this day, he didn't want to accept his natural ability to lead, and Optimus realized that it was actually the only thing standing in his way. He had confidence, he knew that from all his fights with the Decepticons, his bonded especially. He had skill, something he also knew because of their fights, but also because of his scores in the Academy. He was a leader, born for it, made for it... Yet he hesitates because he doesn't want the position, the responsibility it holds, the lives that are placed in his servos every day. He will essentially have power of life and death of his soldiers and that's not the type of power he would ever want.

The Matrix of Leadership warmed at his humble thoughts and gave him comfort, happiness radiating from the artifact at his reluctance to take power while others would thrive for it. The presence of the artifact was a Primus-sent blessing he would always be thankful for. A small eternity with the item in his chest, protecting his spark, had gotten him used to its power and company. When he had awoken as a clueless sparkling, he had known something essential was missing, and for the first time he was not referring to the sparks that should have been in the place of the void.

Optimus made his decision when he felt Megatron trying to inspect said void. It had brought him out of the Decepticon's memories and Optimus had realized, Prime or not, being a leader was hard for everyone. He had lost Alpha Trion and the rest of his Prime brethren, however, he was not the only one who had lost a sibling. Megatron had had to force his own split-spark twin away so he would have to kill Megazarak and Starscream had lost his wingmates, their sparkling, his own bonded and their sparkling. Ratchet had almost completely lost Omega, Ultra Magnus _had_ lost Sigma, like many other mentorbots had with their own Omega Sentinel. How many others had loved and lost, but never gave up?

Was Optimus really going to give up? On the things he believed in? On the way he had always lived his life? On the way of the Primes? Was he going to throw away everything he and his brothers and sister had worked so hard for? Leave both Primus and Unicron to whatever sick plans and experiments Quintessa had for them? Leave Quintus's, Prima's, Alpha Trion's, Amalgamous's, Alchemist's and Megatronus's (direct or indirect) killer walk away unpunished? Disappoint his family, both old and new? Was he seriously going to leave Megatron to fight this battle without him?

No, Optimus Prime was not going to give up, not going to quite. He was not going to run and leave it to others to deal with his own problems. He wasn't going to abandon his race, his friends, his family... his bonded. He will fight. He will avenge his family and fallen friends and make Quintessa wish Quintus had never given her body life. He will fight to unite his people, fight to lead them back on track of the First Generation, teach them of Primus and Unicron and his twelve fallen brethren.

Many have said that the Era of Primes is done, that the Dynasty is dead.

Well, Optimus was alive and he was a Prime, _the Thirteenth_ Prime. The Last Prime.

It was about time the Universe learned that.

When they overloaded, neither Optimus nor Megatron were able to reboot for a full five breems, the full connection too much for the tyrant and Optimus far too lost in his own thoughts and plans for the future to recover faster. He, however, was the first to online his optics, determination filling them. Megatron was still clutching him close, providing the comfort Optimus had so desperately needed, showering him with love through their bond even though there was no conscious thought from the warlord yet. Optimus brought up his blue servo to gently caress his lover's faceplate, enjoying in the blissful expression on those usually tense features. It made him look a lot younger and made him even more handsome.

As much as Optimus wanted to stay where he was, he couldn't. Not yet. There was something he had to do first. With one last caress, Optimus leaned in and kissed those surprisingly soft lipplates oh so tenderly that it might as well been a brush of a Earth bird's feather. Before he got off of the tyrant's lap (Megatron must have shifted them sometime during their merge because Optimus was pretty sure he had been underneath his bigger lover when they had started. Not that he minded. He very much liked his new perch), Optimus focused deep within himself and found the void he had had to live with his whole function. It had been painful all this time, and it still was, but Optimus now saw the tendrils of other bonds around the void. The one that lead to Megatron was the strongest, of course, but he could see his bond with his team, with his crew, his trine, with Blackarachnia/Elita, the almost formed bond with Sentinel... The severed bond that had only started developing with Primal Major, his life-long bond of friendship and companionship with Roller...

Optimus suddenly realized he had never really been alone. Even if he had no brethren, it did not mean he had no family. Especially if that small tendril he saw near Megatron's meant what he thought it meant.

So with one last look at the void, Optimus allowed the Matrix to sooth it into the very back of his spark and processor and for the first time since he had onlined as a clueless, innocent sparkling... Optimus felt whole... He didn't feel that void, it was there, he knew, but it no longer could cloud his spark with longing for something he had thought he could never again have while he actually had something equally as precious. It was there, and it will always be there, but it will no longer represent Optimus's lost life, but rather everything he must continue fighting for, because that void was there because his brothers and sister wanted there to be something for Optimus to fight for, live for and be happy about.

As the awareness of the void vanished from his mind, Optimus got up. He stood as straight as a board, shoulders drawn back, head proudly looking forward, not titled down nor were his optics cast away to not meet any other. No, everything of Cadet Optimus and Optimus Prime, the Autobot commander was gone, erased, swiped under an invisible, proverbial rug, where it will lay forgotten until it forever vanishes. Instead, the Last Prime stood, ready to face the Universe and put it in its place for how astray it had gone.

The waves of determination and power radiating from his lover finally kick started Megatron's CPU and he was just aware enough to see Optimus leaving his room. Although he felt no distress from the smaller mech, Megatron rushed after him, not knowing if the other was upset over something. That one last shield that had been brought down in Optimus's desperation for more contact and reassurance was brought back up again and it frustrated Megatron that he couldn't knock it down, that he still didn't have a clue as to what was hidden behind that final barrier.

He followed his lover's brisk pace with ease, the other's stride smaller than his, but the former Autobot was in a hurry so Megatron had to walk at a brisk pace himself. He was surprised where they were heading. He followed his lover without a word to the elevator that served as the only connection between the three Omega Sentinels and wondered what Optimus could possibly want on the Steelhaven.

A startled Ultra Magnus greeted them as they exited the elevator, the blue and white Commander just having wanted to check in on the bonded pair. One look from Megatron both reassured him that they were fine and that he was to keep away from the little Prime. The Magnus nodded, but followed behind them just to see where they were heading. The heavy pedesteps of the two Supreme Leaders of both factions drew many of the inhabitants of the vessel to peek out of their rooms, but a look from both leaders had them hastily going back to whatever they had been doing.

Optimus paid no mind to them, however. He just continued, seeing the confrontation in his mind in a way almost similar to Alpha Trion and Onyx's abilities allowed them to, all the good ways it could go, all the terrible outcomes, the tragedy that could occur if he was not careful... or the most optimal and optimistic way this all could end.

When he arrived in the holding block of the Steelhaven, very much aware that Sigma was watching his every move due to Ultra Magnus's request, Optimus stopped right in front of their Quintesson prisoner.

''Thamast.''

He had been awake for hours, glaring at one dot on the wall and ignoring any forms of communication, be it bringing in fuel or interrogation and taunts of the Elite Guard. The sneers from the Decepticons had earned them a twitch of an optic shutter, but that was it. Now, however, at hearing the authoritative voice of a true Prime that was responsible for his predicament, Thamast jumped to his feet and charged at Optimus. The energy field separating them launched the Quintesson into the far wall of his cell, making him grunt in pain before he glared up at Optimus.

''Prime.'' He spat it out like it was stale energon.

Optimus didn't even blink at the tone. Instead, he turned of the energy field and walked up to the Quintesson, ignoring the powering up of Megatron's Fusion Cannon or the whir of battle protocols coming online. He wasn't worried. Even if Megatron hadn't been here as backup (which he hadn't asked for but was grateful for the support and thought behind it), Optimus could have easily dealt with the Quntessonian Prince. It was far too easy to subdue the thrashing Prince and put stasis cuffs on him, before dragging him out still trying to kick at the Prime's legs.

He was screaming profanities in his birth language and no one but Optimus understood a thing he said, but everyone who now stood in the doorways of their rooms recognized the tone of voice meant to insult and belittle, but Optimus ignored the many curses to his name and to his family. He simply dragged the cuffed Quintesson back to the elevator and up to Alpha Supreme, who activated his internal weapon systems should the green-optic mech try something. On his own ship, his crew and Shockwave (who was staying with Blurr in his room) watched as Qunitessa's only son and heir was led like a very badly behaved sparkling forced into stasis lock (he thought he heard Shockwave tell Blurr that it was like when Decepticons use the sparkling lock on their flier sparklings) to the shuttle bay.

The shuttle bays of all three shipformers were now full of both fuel and other resources, as well as the things they had managed to salvage from the blown up Quintesson ships, including weaponry and communications systems. Shockwave had been able to hack them with ease and they found out quite a few of Quintessa's plans by reviewing their communications from earlier. It was all recorded and nicely wrapped up with a big bow for the Decepticon spy. There were also three escape pods that had survived the supernova like explosion, but no Quintessons had been in them. Two needed to be repaired to be fully functional, but one was in almost perfect condition.

It was in front of this stasis pod that Optimus stopped and showed the mech he had been dragging into. Thamast looked at him with confusion, finally stopping his screaming of insults. ''What are you doing?'' The Prince asked the Prime as Optimus set coordinates for Cybertron. Even if he set it off right now, Thamast will not arrive for another moth to the edges of Autobot Commonwealth's territory, let alone to Quintessa's ship. However, Optimus wasn't going to just let him drift through space until he got to his mother's warship.

''Sending you off to your mother. I have no time for brats.''

''How dare you!?'' Thamast indignatly screamed, forgetting he was stasis cuffed and tried trashing again, only for the cuffs to not only restrain him but also send a shock through his systems. It casued him to grunt, but he still glared at Optimus. ''Do you know who you are talking to!?''

''Yes, I do. I'm talking to a brat who has forgotten how to show proper respect to his elders.'' The Quint flinched as he was reminded of just who he was talking to, averting his green gaze away from the royal blue optics of the Last Prime.

''Why are you sending me to my mother? So she could be disappointed in me for allowing a Prime to stay online despite him being in my reach?'' Thamast asked, still refusing to meet those older than time optics. ''You might as well just kill me now. I can't live with the failure.''

''Well, that is not true.'' Green optics finally met blue as the gray mech looked at his red and blue flame covered captor. ''No one died because they failed, so you won't be the first. As for why I won't offline you, I believe I have caused enough grief to both you and your mother, not to mention Artemis, by killing your uncle Pepest. I don't want to give you and your kind even more reasons to kill my kind, especially since there was no real reason to begin with.''

''What are you talking about!'' Thamast yelled, not liking how he was being treated like a child. He was a damn, fully grown adult and he was going to be treated as such, slag it all! ''Your brother, Quintus, created us to be you Cybertronians's slaves! How else was my mother to act other than collect mecha and attack him!?''

''Quintus loved life above all else.'' Optimus calmly told him, sitting at the edge of the opening of the pod. ''He hated violence and waste of life. He was a scientific dreamer, desired a life-filled Universe where he could observe the life around him, the way it evolves and the way those individuals all behaved, how they changed, how they learned and felt... He would rather tear out his own spark than allow life to be wasted in pointless wars that have been going on throughout the Universe, especially this war between our own species. He would really hate this. Do you know why he didn't fight back as fiercely as he could have?''

Thamast, calmed by Optimus's voice and interested in the answer, leaned closer and shook his head no. He didn't know, but he would like to find out. His mother, Pepest, or any other Quintesson had never talked about their creator, the tenth Prime. He knew nothing beyond that Quintus had created them as slaves for his own kind, but Optimus was saying that wasn't true. Who was he to believe? Then again, Artemis had always been so very protective of his 'Lord Quintus's' reputation and name, always refusing to throw away the loyalty he felt for a dead mech and constantly saying he had not deserved his fate. Had his mother been wrong?

''Quintus could have destroyed your entire species if he had just used his Emberstone to reverse the effect it had had in giving you life... But he loved the species he had created. And he loved Artemis.'' Thamast gasped, not believing what he was hearing. ''Yeah, I was just as shocked when I found out. In his care to make his thirteenth creation as perfect as he could, he had grown attached to it, had accidentally given it a spark... A spark that today gives your uncle life. Artemis was treated differently, so he was attached to Quintus as much as my brother had grown attached to him. They spent all their time together, and with orns and then vorns... they fell in love. Because Artemis's spark was too weak for a bond, they never could got that one final step that would have proclaimed Artemis a true Cybertronian, minus the ability transformation.'' Optimus sighed, looking down before meeting Thamast's rounded optics, childish curiosity he recognized similar to his own both as a sparkling in this life, and as a learning youngest Prime in his last. Optimus smiled at him, if a bit sadly. It was time to get his point across. ''If he had killed your mother and her followers, that would have thought Artemis the one thing Quintus had never wanted his creation to learn, the one thing he regretted he and his own brothers had learned: to kill.''

''Why did he regret learning that?''

''Because killing separated us from two of our siblings. Solus Prime and Liege Maximo died needless deaths, Micronus and Onyx were going to follow them soon... Then I created the Allspark, thus in a way destroying myself... My brothers, the ones who remained, all went their own ways, after some time... Then Quintus created your kind and he cared for them, until Quintessa decided she wanted ultimate power, ultimate knowledge... She learned how to build more of your kind and killed my brother... The others soon died after Quintus, Prima first among them, protecting his people.''

''I killed one of your brothers as well. Why don't you hate me?''

Optimus's optics turned cold, scaring the young Quintesson. ''Hatred has tainted my own brethren, my own species... If there is anything I will ever hate, it is hatred itself. It is a useless emotion that only separates love, destroys worlds and harmony of the Universe. It is hatred that had ultimately separated Unicron and Primus, as well. So, no. I don't hate. Not you, nor anyone else.'' He locked dead serious optics full of wisdom on his younger companion. ''Hating is easy, Thamast. Forgiving is much harder.''

''But how do you forgive when you never felt forgiveness? Mother never forgives me my failures!'' He felt so frustrated! He should just ignore everything this Prime was telling him, ignore and forget this whole conversation! But he couldn't... He just couldn't. Why had his mother never taught him forgiveness? Why had she always been so harsh, when a complete stranger was being so gentle and understanding with him. He had killed this mech's last remaining brother... Why did he forgive him? What _is_ forgiveness?!

He didn't even realize he had asked that last question out loud until Optimus took hold of his bound servos and brought it up to his own chasiss. He could feel that powerful spark beating beneath the red plating, but it seemed muted, somehow. ''I am forgiving you right now, Thamast. It is understanding one's wrong and deciding that they deserve redemption, that they deserve a second chance, a chance to make it better, to fix what was damaged... be it emotionally or physically. And when you forgive or are forgiven... a heaviness vanishes from your chest, a heaviness you were not even aware was there. Your feel relief.''

Thamast stared at the protective plating hiding the Last Prime's spark and wondered how it was to have a spark. Would his emotions be stronger? ''Why can you forgive me? I killed your brother.'' He asked weakly.

''Because you did it out of anger... I lost two siblings to anger.''

''What about the others?''

''I lost them to Quintessa's greed. And for that she will pay. But I will not kill a mech who might want to redeem himself.''

Thamast broke. He sobbed and sobbed, leaning towards Optimus and silently begging forgiveness. Optimus in return just petted his helm, making soothing noises. Neither noticed Artemis crying in the doorway, partially hidden by Megatron's bulk. Neither really cared at the moment. After Thamast calmed down, he looked at Optimus in a new light. ''If you can forgive me killing your last brother... Then I can forgive you for killing my father figure.''

Optimus nodded at him. ''I'm going to put you in stasis now. However, I have a message for you to deliver to your mother.''

Thamast looked nervous and frightened at what his fate will be, but he knew that Optimus won't kill him. Not intentionally, anyway. ''What is the message?''

Optimus's voice turned cold, flat and so scary and dark that everyone flinched. ''Tell her that Justice is a sharp sword, that the Hunter never loses its pray and that the Era of Primes is far from over.'' The words were in standard galactic so everyone would understand them and Artemis's and Thamast's optics widened at such a bold proclamation. Thamast didn't understand it all, but he knew that just the last part will unsettle his mother. ''Goodbye, now, Thamast.'' And before the younger Quintesson could respond, Optimus closed the pod and activated the emergency preservation systems, knocking Thamast into stasis lock.

Optimus turned to his audience and nodded at them. ''I will be right back.'' He took a hold of the pod and lifted it up onto his shoulderstruts before walking out of the shuttle bay. He activated his boosters as soon as he was outside, hurrying into the atmosphere, where he activated the Blades of Time. Opening a rift in reality, Optimus sent the pod through space and time, sending it to the edges of Autobot space and letting its programing lead it to Quintessa's ship. He observed the rift for a moment before closing it and making sure it _stayed_ closed. Not feeling up to a long flight, Optimus opened another near his ship and transported through space and time, then closed it like he had earlier. He walked into his ship and headed straight for his room, knowing that Megatron will follow him.

He sent a ping to Artemis that they will talk in the morning and a message that ordered his crew to go back to recharge since tomorrow was a big day. He ignored the little cheers he heard, although they warmed his spark and tugged his dermas up into a smile, as he and Megatron walked back into his room. He shut and locked the door before crawling onto the berth, swaying his aft at the Decepticon. The sound of that powerful flight engine revving made him shiver and he looked coyly over his shoulder. Those red optics were trying to devour him whole and Optimus only got even more aroused by the idea.

''Will you stand there all night just watching me or will you join me in berth?''

He yelped when Megatron pounced on him.

00000

''I called this meeting because today, we are going to Cybertron in order to drive away the Quintessons.''

This sentence was met with loud cheers and Optimus had to hide his smile unless he encouraged them to do this longer. It had been joors since he had sent off Thamast to his mother, and knowing Quintessa and all her Quintessons, the thought of a justice-seeking Prime will put them in a panic and that might be lethal to Cybertron, so they had to act fast.

However, he couldn't fault them for their new cheer. They had all thought that the loss of Alpha Trion would push Optimus over the edge and that he will give up. They _feared_ it. They had come all the way out here, searching for him, the one mech who had defeated the feared Megatron in hopes that he, too, will be able to defeat the Quintessons as well. His team from Earth had practically worshiped the dirt he walked on after pushing Megatron through the space bridge, the Jettwins did the same after he returned with the titan as his captive and Ratchet had insisted many a times when he had seen the old war-field medic that he was a beacon of hope to the Autobots still fighting against the Decepticons all throughout the galaxy. They had all decided that no one other than Optimus can lead them through this and said Prime didn't know weather he should be terrified or flattered by such trust and faith.

Unfortunately, even he won't be enough to end this fight in one battle. And that's why they were having this meeting. He was going to let them know of some of his plans, maybe a few secrets and he was going to need all the help the could get, Autobot and Decepticon.

When they finally quieted down, Optimus rose from his seat and looked every mech and femme directly in the optics. He saw the same faith he had known was there and he saw the hope of finally going home, of having peace and equality in their species. He saw a desire, a longing, for a united Cybertron and that gave him more strength than even the Matrix of Leadership could ever hope to give him.

''Despite us now having the support of the Decepticon Empire, Cybertronian forces are still very much weakened due to our four million stellar cycles of none stop war. The Quintessons have been careful to chose a moment when to strike, and while they had been hoping for Decepticon help,'' Said Decepticons all growled in disgust. ''Due to thinking that Megatron's trail would mean instant execution or slavery,'' The Elite Guard members who were part of the council all flinched from the flat look sent their way that was all but screaming at them 'I TOLD you so!' for both the Prime and his fallen brother. ''We have stopped such a disaster by postponing the farce of a trial that was meant to take place.''

''Thank you, Optimus.'' Megatron said, both proud and smug that his little lover had put the entire Council in their place and had gotten them a possibility at peace. The Decepticons all nodded their thanks as well, glad that they got their Lord back. Jazz sent him a thumbs up while the others all cheered. Normally, Optimus would be bashful at the attention, but those days were over. A Prime stood in front of his people, before a battle, thus Optimus didn't have the time to be embarrassed.

''The Quintessons many experiments over the centuries are giving the Autobots a hard time and the Decepticons can't help them because they are focusing their fire on the bigger warships entering our atmosphere. If this continues, we are looking at a repeat of the War for Peace, and this time we won't have neither the resources nor the heavy hitters that have helped us win the last time. Not to mention that the trust between Autobots and Decepticons is shaky at best. We need something big, something powerful and I know just what.''

''What's bigger than three Omega Sentinels?'' Bumblebee asked from his place beside Bulkhead and Blitzwing. Sari had decided to sit with Optimus and Megatron, preferring the higher perch on the Prime's shoulder. Besides, she still sometime felt like Optimus would vanish if someone wasn't physically touching him. His stunt last night was probably what caused this impression all over again.

''A fleet of Omega Sentinels.'' A round of gasps and questions followed but Optimus only raised a servo. ''I know what you're all thinking and I am asking you to stop thinking that this instant. I don't know what sort of lives you've all led, not fully anyway, but you should probably get it out of your CPUs that miracles can't happen. They've been happening to me since I onlined, so I know that they exist. You just need to have faith.''

''And what if a miracle doesn't happen?'' Strika challenged, not at all liking gambling like this. They didn't know how much of that strange energy Optimus had, nor how many Supremes can be revived at all, and a promised fleet with those variables was not something that she would count on. Still, the other had a point about one thing. Miracles were all about faith. Alpha Trion had once told her the same, right before Lugnut and Megatron found her all those years ago.

Optimus looked at her directly in the optics and Strika felt a strange urge to avert her optics or bow in submission. She wanted to snarl at the urge. ''Everything happens for a reason. Nothing is consequential.''

She growled. ''You're just like your mentor.''

Optimus smirked. ''I'll take that as a compliment. And yes, yes I am.'' He turned serious as soon as the joke was over. ''I know that this is a big risk, especially since the amount of either the Allspark's energy or the Omega Lock's energy is very much limited... However, I wasn't planing on making a promise I can't keep. I know this is much of me to ask, but... _I need you to trust me!_ '' The words had a greater impact than anything else could have had. ''It is hard to accept something you can't see, you can't calculate or you can't control on your own, but then again... Since when have we ever really been able to control anything?''

Silence met the question.

''We need the fleet, and I'll provide us with the fleet. However, I need you guys to trust me and to hold off the Quintessons from Iacon as long as you can. That's where they'll go first, in order to take control of the Space Bridge Nexus and our main HQ Command Center. Now, I need you to distribute your forces here, here and here.'' He showed on a map of Cybertron and one a separate map of Iacon where he wanted the troops to the Decepticons and Autobots alike. ''The Archives mustn't fall. There's a secret passage there that will give us an advantage if we use. It leads throughout Iacon like so.'' He showed the underground tunnels Alpha Trion had used to help Ultra save Megazarak. ''With the usage of these tunnels, we can move faster and without detection. Send these maps for our troops to use as we speak, so that they can study it and prepare for our arrival.''

Cliffjumper nodded and called Cybertron while Shockwave did the same to all the commanding ships of the Decepticon armies. Ultra Magnus and Megatron kept sending affirmations of the orders and then the two bots got the new status on the battlefields.

''We won't go straight to Iacon when we get planet-side. I need to go to another location but I suggest that the rest of you get to Iacon as soon as you can. Three Omega Sentinels will be able to help hold off the squids long enough for the help I'm hoping to get to arrive, then I'll get right to it in reviving the rest of the Supremes. Send messages that all Omega Sentinel mentorbots still alive are to be in Iacon by the time we get planet-side, because I won't take long at the other location. I don't care if their ships have been blown to smithereens, they are to come with any traces of the ship, a piece of plating, a scrap of circuitry, a screw, anything. For the ships whose mentorbots are deactivated, Artemis is to choose a replacement, be it either from this group gathered here, or any other Bot or Con he finds worthy. If the Council has anything to say to that, pass them to me. I'll deal with them.''

A few uncertain looks were exchanged but everyone nodded none the less.

''But first, before we go to Cybertron, we need to make two stops.''

''What?!'' Brawn bellowed. ''Are you crazy? We don't have anymore time for your pleasure cruse through space!'' He smacked his fist on the conference table they were all sitting at. ''We're at war, slag you!'' A smack was heard. ''Ow!''

Blurr tutted at him. ''No swearing on this ship.''

''Frag you and your slagging-OW!'' Brawn clutched his helm. ''Stop it!''

''Thank you, Blurr.'' Optimus nodded at his communications officer, before getting back down to business as if the interruption hadn't happened at all. ''The first stop will be Earth, were we will collect the Constructicons and the Dinobots, as well as Soundwave and Wreck-Gar. A few weapons upgrades by Professor Sumdac wouldn't be bad, either, or a few more jetpacks.''

''You can't be serious.'' Surprisingly enough, it was Megatron who spoke up against his lover this time. ''Those robots, while partly Cybertronian, are relatively useless. Well, except for Soundwave. I wouldn't mind placing him in my ranks.''

''The Dinobots are strong and the Constructicons might be of use if we need immediate shelter built, or anything else for that matter.'' Optimus told him flatly, giving him an equally flat look. ''We just need to restrain that Dirtboss mech and get Grimlock to listen to us, both of which will also be my responsibility. I would also suggest you and Professor Sumdac clear the air between you two, because I am taking him with us. We need more scientists at hand.''

''But-''

''Do you _want_ to sleep on the couch?'' Bumblebee asked, not believing that Megatron was resisting this so much when it was a sound plan. The others all snickered, even the Decepticons and Megatron deflated even as he growled at both his mate and at the yellow speedster.

''Wouldn't it be wiser to let me deal with the Dinobots?'' Prowl asked, wanting to understand why it wasn't him that was to be sent to get them.

''Or _me_ , for that matter?'' Blackarachnia added, inspecting her digits. ''They do listen to everything I tell them to do.''

''Believe me when I tell you that we don't need them tricked into this, or seduced.'' Optimus told them both with pointed looks and the two shrank back. ''We don't have the time for that. Besides, I want you all to spend as much time as you can searching for the remaining pieces of the Allspark. I'll be on the lookout for them as well, but I have a few other things to do. Actually,'' Optimus looked to Strika then Megatron. ''I think I'll leave Dirtboss to the tender mercies of the General and the Emperor of Destruction. He _does_ wear your symbol.'' The grin on his face was vicious for such a young looking bot.

''You can't be serious!'' Bulkhead yelped. ''Boss-bot!''

''I take up the challenge, gladly.'' Megatron said with his helm held high.

Optimus smirked. ''Good. You'll take Bulkhead with you, so you two don't intimidate the Constructicons too much.''

''I'll just offer them more oil.''

His mate shrugged. ''Do as you please, but get them here in one piece. I'll leave Soundwave to you, as well. That mech is obsessed with you, for Primus's sake.'' He glared and Megatron delighted in the little show of jealousy and possessiveness in his lovely Prime's optics. ''After we leave Earth, I want the current location of the Decepticon Justice Devision-''

''WHAT?!'' The scream came from everyone present, including the three Omega Sentinels.

Megatron was upon his mate in a second. ''I am not allowing you to go anywhere near the DJD!''

''Too bad.''

''Optimus-!''

''Megatron.''

''Tarn will kill you on sight!'' The tyrant finally screamed his fears out, clutching his mate to his chest just at the thought. ''He won't care. To him you are just another Autobot! He won't hesitate and if you die-''

Optimus stopped Megatron by placing a single digit on Megatron's intake, surprising the Decepticon. ''I don't fear Tarn.'' Jaws hit the floor all around the room and many started to protest, but Optimus wasn't listening. He only had optics for a panicking Megatron. ''His special ability won't affect me, and if I could defeat you in battle, then I can take him on as well.'' Megatron was about to speak, probably to once again question Optimus's sanity, but his mate cut him off. ''Besides, Tarn is a fanatic, yes?'' A nod. ''And he respects you more than anything, yes?''

''No, Tarn loves the Cause above all else, he just thinks that I represent the Cause.''

''I'll take that as a yes, anyway.'' Optimus ignored the indignant look this got him and just smiled up at his lover. ''So if you tell Tarn not to kill me...''

''You're still just an Autobot to him.''

''I'm your bondmate.'' Was the annoyed reply.

''I said to him!''

''Can't you declare Optimus as your bonded or something?'' Hot Rod asked before the argument could become a cycle of useless statements. They _were_ kind of on a scheduled here. ''You know, so that the Decepticons won't kill him?''

''While it can be done, yes, it can't be done easily.'' Cyclonus told his lover, hugging the Autobot Prime close to him. ''There would have to be a formal ceremony in which they bonded before all of the Decepticon Empire's commanders. It's quite public, but we don't usually care. Although, quite a few might care, considering it is Lord Megatron and he has such a lovely little thing for a bonded.'' Said Decepticon Lord glared at Cyclonus, but he wasn't phased. ''You know that it's the truth, my Lord. You haven't ever had a lover for more than one or two frags and your first real relationship is with an Autobot-''

''Not an Autobot.''

''- and one that is so pretty, most femmes would be jealous.'' Cyclonus finished as if he wasn't interrupted. ''He will be under constant scrutiny, and not just because he's an Autobot. They'll judge his skills in battle-''

''I defeated him on Earth four times!''

''- his leadership abilities, the way he interacts with Decepticons-''

''I'm a fragging mentorbot to a warmachnie of a sparkling!''

''-his intellect, his temper-''

''You're going to get a piece of my temper if you don't stop talking about me like I'm not here!''

''-his fertility-''

'' _Excuse_ me?!''

''- and his tactician abilities before they deem him worthy or not of the status of your Conjunx Endura. We warframes are very strict with our leaders's bonded, no matter who they had been up to that point. Do you think you can live up to the expectations of millions of warframes, all hungry for Autobot energon?''

Optimus stared at Cyclonus before snorting. ''Is that all?''

Many a pairs of red optics narrowed. ''Excuse me?''

''That's not much at all, considering what my own bonded would have to go through to even be allowed to go anywhere near me.''

''What?'' Megatron asked, not liking this idea at all.

Optimus nodded. ''Yeah, sure, Megatron would have to go through all those tests to, minus the fertility one, we're not barbarians, thank you.'' A growl from the Decepticons but the Prime only shot them an amused look. ''You would have to appeal to my Sire and Carrier the right to court me first, and believe me when I tell you that my Sire would rather destroy the Universe,'' Optimus snorted and rolled his optics at Artemis's snickers at the obliviousness of their companions of just who Optimus's Sire and Carrier were and at the very accurate statement. Yes, Quintus had told his secret lover everything, it would seem. ''And Carrier, I'm sure, would mope for centuries, if not millenia. Then you'd have to go through twelve, ahem, tests, chosen by, um, mechs and femmes I once considered siblings, and ... yeah, I'm not sure any of them would give you something easy to do. The easiest task you might find before you would be to cross the Sea of Rust, on foot, in two days, so, good luck with that.'' Jaws dropped all over again and no one even tried to pick them up. Optimus somehow looked both resigned and smug at the same time. ''And considering that two of them are very fierce warriors, you'd have to fight them, and seeing as they'd cut through or blow up stars to keep me safe and happy... Like I said, good luck with that.''

Megatron looked ready to bolt.

''And that's not even taking into consideration what Roller and Elita One would have put you through. Maybe even Sentinel?''

''I think that I would have asked him to just drink a cube after all of those horrible things he would have to go through.'' The blue and orange bot said with a sympathetic look towards Megatron, who looked almost sick with relief.

''And just imagine what his trine would put you through!'' Starscream exclaimed with a howl of laughter as he overbalanced in his chair and fell to the metal floor. He didn't seem to care, as he just continued laughing like a maniac, and just as he was about to stop, he saw the dawning look of horror on Megatron's faceplate and that had him starting all over again. He did eventually stop when he realized how First Aid was looking at him. He picked himself up and with a cough, sat up straight in his chair, looking all right and proper... Until Bumblebee and Blitzwing cracked up as well and he followed them back to the floor while the others now just glared at them.

''Hey, you said he 'would have to'.'' Sari spoke over the howls of laughter and Starscream's exclamation of ''Oh my poor tanks!'' from the floor on the other side of the table. ''Won't he still have to go through all of that?''

''Can he, please?'' Slipstream asked while holding her servos in front of her chestplates, clasped in the universal begging gesture. ''Please, please please?'' There was a rather scary glint in her optics and Megatron stepped away from his lover's TIC. He vented a sigh of relief when Optimus answered with a firm shake of his head in a very clear 'no'. ''Aww.'' She whined disappointedly and at the other side of the table, from her place between Ironhide and Sentinel, Blackarachnia pouted and sagged in disappointment. He shuddered to think what those two would have imagined for him to do in order to prove himself worthy for his little Prime.

The scariest part?

He would have done it without hesitation.

''No, Sari. He won't have to because the ones he must prove himself to the most are no longer among the online.''

''Oh. Sorry.'' Sari quickly said when she noticed the hurt that had now entered Optimus's optics. She placed her small armor-covered palm on his cheekplates and smiled at him, happy when he returned it with his own gentle smile he had always given her back on Earth. Wow, it seemed like an eternity ago when she had been spending her days teaching her cybernetic friends about organics, their strange customs and having fun teasing them. Teasing Optimus had always been her favorite thing to do with her Autobot friends. He was just so uptight all the time that when someone pulled a prank on him and it got him to smile... Sari swore that sometime it was like the sun had shone through rainy, angry clouds and lit up the Earth in its magnificent warmth and light.

''It's okay. I'm... still growing to get used to it.'' He said, still with that smile she loved seeing on his faceplates. It made him seem younger and more approachable... human, almost. She knew the comparison was very bad, but she had sometimes gotten the impression that Optimus was not like the other bots she had met, Autobot and Decepticon alike. For one thing, her Key had never reacted to anyone else the way it had to Optimus when he had offlined. The Allspark itself had revived Optimus that day, not her Key. And merging with her Key... She had always felt drawn to Optimus after that. It was scary, how the residual energy from the Allspark reacted to Optimus Prime, like he was not of this world, like he was of the same origin as the life-giving relic was.

''But that's not what we're supposed to be talking, or cackling,'' The tone got those who were rolling on the floor to immediately stop and stand up straight, throughly rebuked with only that one word. ''About. I'm going to the DJD ship, Peaceful Tyranny, with or without you giving them a heads up, and I apologize in advance if I leave your most feared squander of soldiers shaking in their plating by the time I'm done with them.''

''You're a fool, Autobot.'' Lugnut started one of his many speeches regarding Autobot foolishness and the greatness that is Megatron.

''For the last time! I am not an Autobot!'' Optimus yelled at Lugnut, effectively shutting him up. ''First, I have no Autobot badge anymore,'' He pointed to his blank, red shoulder, the blue flames ending there and seeming to dance on the polished surface. ''And second, even if I was still an Autobot, which I'm not, I have a name, Primus slag it! Optimus Prime. Remember it!'' The big heavy hitter nodded hastily and Optimus stopped glaring at him. ''Did the rest of you get that, or will I have to pound it into all of your helms individually?''

Angry took over and Blitzwing spat at the displeased Prime. ''I'd like to see you try, Autobot scum!''

Sick of the treatment, Optimus took out Liege Maximo's bow and the Liege Darts, took one of the stasis inducing ones and fired, all in less than a blink, hitting Blitzwing directly on the forehead. As soon as the Dart touched the surface, electrical shocks went through the mech and Blitzwing's head started spinning without control before he slumped to the floor, stopping at Icy. Everyone stared as the Dart returned to Optimus with a flick of his servo, both the energy bow and his arrows returning to his left gray compartment on his wrist.

''Anyone want to add something regarding the topic?''

Strika broke out laughing and walked over to stand by her shocked Commander and his bonded. ''I like you, Optimus Prime. I thin we would do good with someone like you in our ranks.'' She clapped him firmly on the back, and Optimus almost stumbled, would have stumbled had it not been for his Prime heritage.

''Thanks.''

''So you think you can take on the DJD on your own?''

''Well ,I was rather hoping that I would have a volunteer to go with me, to have my back if the situation turns sticky.'' Optimus admitted, warily dodging the servo that had stayed on his backstruts after Strika had patted him on the back.

Hot Rod immediately jumped up from his seat and thrust his servo high in the air. ''Oh, I will go with you!'' He soon realized how childish he must seem and lowered his servo, reset his vocalizer and said formally. ''I would like to accompany you to this very important mission, Optimus Prime, sir.'' The red and blue Prime just blinked at him and didn't even reset his optics when Cyclonus dragged his lover into his arms and started a similar argument like the one he and Megatron had had a few breems ago.

''Absolutely not!''

''Actually, I believe that Rodimus Prime would be the best choice for this mission.'' Ultra Magnus gave his opinion and tried not to cower under that red, hostile stare of one unhappy Cyclonus. ''He holds the records in all the fields-''

'' _No_ , I don't!'' Hot Rod hissed. '' _Optimus_ does. I'm, like, 2500 points behind him in my _specialty_ , let alone anything else!'' He points one digit at Optimus, who is shocked that his records were still the highest scores. It has been centuries since he had been kicked out of the Academy. ''Everyone knows that although his scores are removed from public view, that it is still his scores that are the highest, his records are what everyone is trying to beat, not mine! Slag, I spent my Academy days dreaming of either breaking _one_ of his records, or _meeting_ him!'' He then pointed to Ultra Magnus, still too pissed to care how he was addressing his superior. ''And my name is Hot Rod, _not_ Rodimus! 'Chosen One' my aft!'' A smack was heard and Hot Rod yelped. ''OW! Blurr!''He whined but the sky blue racer just shrugged with a somewhat smug smile as he nestled back against Shockwave.

''I should have hit you two times, but since you're talking in my captain's defense, I decided to go easy on you.''

''Lucky me.'' He muttered, before turning to his lover. ''And you! I may be your lover, but that does not mean you get to control my life. I am my own mech, and I know that you worry for me, but just like you, I'm a warrior. You can't stop me from going out to the battlefield and doing my job.''

''But Hot Rod! If it was anything else, I would have let you be! This is DJD! Even I don't mess with them.'' Cyclonus cuddled his Autobot beloved. ''I don't want you near them. I don't want to lose you.''

Hot Rod smiled at his lover and kissed him on the olfactory sensor. ''And you won't. I'll be careful. If you want, you can warp in with Skywarp if we sound like we're having trouble. Both you and Megatron.'' He added as a small favor to the Decepticon Lord, who nodded at him. ''Okay?''

''Fine, but you must promise me to be extremely careful and not to taunt them.'' Cyclonus relented. ''And don't draw any unwanted attention to yourself.''

Hot Rod grinned. ''You got it.''

''Anything else you need, Optimus Prime?'' Ultra Magnus asked after he dodged that bullet, so to speak.

''Yeah, you not shooting whatever you see. Shoot QUINTESSONS and their creations, which will be listed, and nothing else. If I found out you shot down one of our own, I am going to make you wish you were never born.''

The Magnus's optics widened to the size of Helens's dinner plates. ''How did you know?''

''In your alt mode, I saw what would have been weaponry. Besides, you're bigger than most other Autobots can ever hope to get without upgrades.'' Optimus said with a shrug, ignoring the stupefied expressions from the other Autobots at finding their commander was half warframe. ''Alright them. Alpha Supreme, Omega Supreme, Sigma Supreme. Set course to warp to Earth in three joors, that's about when we'll leave this planet's sensor's range. Until then, you have free time to do as you wish, but you are not to leave the ships. Are we ready for lift off?''

''Yes Optimus.'' Was the reply and the powerful engines of three Omega Sentinels heated up before taking off.

Optimus nodded at the others before he exited the conference room, only to be stopped by his bonded's playful voice. He turned to look at the gray form of his lover looming over him and craned his neck cables a little to meet his optics. ''Yes, Megatron?''

''I've heard some interesting things about you and your tactical skills.'' Optimus raised an optic ridge at this and made a made a motion with his servo to indicate to the other to continue. He was acutely aware that everyone was now listening to their conversation, Ultra Magnus and Strika especially. What the frag was up with them? ''I hear that you are quite good at war-sims.''

''Yes?''

Megatron smirked at his lover. ''What do you say to a game, then? I would like to see if what I've been hearing is true.''

Everyone was now sitting at the edges of their seats, the gossips.

Optimus Prime smirked back at his bonded and gestured to one of the other unused rooms on the Axelon. ''Why don't we find out, then.''


	30. Chapter 30

**War as Old** **as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: Hi! Wow, here's chapter 30! I can't believe it! The response for this story was very encouraging so I was just as excited with every new chapter as some readers were, if not more. Well ,we're reaching the end slowly. After this chapter, the fight against the Quintessons will start and things will be only battles and battles with a few twists and turns along the way.**

 **I would like to use this opportunity to thank all my reviewers and to answer a few things regarding the comments left. I do plan on letting Megazarak come back, I just won't tell you when, leave you guessing and all that. Another thing I noticed was that people were worried about what will happen to Megs and OP's relationship... I'll leave you in expense for that one, I'm afraid. No hints. I hope you can forgive me for that.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter as well, because this is possibly the last few moments of light conversations and fun before things get serious for our Cybertronians heroes.**

 **Please review!**

By the time they trans-warped into the Milky Way and were heading towards Earth, the inhabitants of all three Omega Sentinels had made a betting pool regarding the scores of the war-sim games their fearless leaders were playing. Quite a few Autobots bet on Megatron because of his track record so far of almost always winning against Ultra Magnus and tying with Alpha Trion. Then again, Strika had surprised them all by betting on Optimus. Her reasoning was that Alpha Trion had told her that Optimus beat _him_ most of the time, so that had to mean something, thus Strika placed her credits on the young Prime. Hot Rod had also faithfully placed his credits on Optimus's victory. Others bet that they would tie like Alpha Trion and the warlord had done and Shockwave and Lugnut bet their money on Megatron winning with a three to one advantage.

So imagine their surprise when, just as the reached Earth's atmosphere, the two leaders came back from their game, Optimus looking like he was too blissed out to care for anything and Megatron somehow looking both smug and smitten at the same time. The red and blue former Autobot seemed a bit shaky on his stabilizers and he used this as an excuse to lean against Megatron, not that the gray mech minded. However, their appearances didn't show who had won and how many rounds.

''Well, how'd it go?'' Bumblebee, as always, had the least discretion and tact, so he was the one to ask and rather bluntly.

''Huh?'' Was all Optimus got out, still looking disheveled. Megatron's smug expression only got smugger, if at all possible.

''Who won?'' The yellow minibot asked, not letting up.

''Kid, are you alright?'' Ratchet asked, noticing his Prime's strange behavior. Optimus just looked at him for a second before processing what had been asked and nodding a little. ''Well, then. Who won?'' Something dawned on him. ''Wait, di you two even play or did you just frag like petrorabbits?'' A smack. ''Slag it Blurr!'' Another smack on the back of his red helm. ''Slipstream!'' The two snickered along with Bumblebee and Brawn and Hot Shot. ''Laugh it up, laugh it up! But I'll see you when you need someone to save you from offlining. The last laugh is the sweetest.'' That shut them up, allowing Ratchet to return his attention to a blushing Optimus and a grinning Megatron. ''Well?!''

''Of course we played!'' Optimus exclaimed, not at all liking the implications.

''But then you interfaced?'' Slipstream asked, sidling up to her trine leader so she could tease him more effectively. ''Kinky.''

''Slipstream!''

The femme ignored the indignation and instead repeated the question of who won. Megatron looked so proud in that moment that everyone thought that it had been the Decepticon leader, but they sure did get a surprise with his answer. ''Optimus won six out of our ten games and one was a tie. I don't know what sort of a malfunction you experienced when you kicked him out of the Elite Guard, but I am now thanking Primus and Unicron both that you did. We'd have lost the war if he was your commander.''

''What!?'' Starscream, who had taken a sip of his energon at that moment, spat it all out, right over Strika, who was just as surprised so she didn't -couldn't- react, otherwise First Aid was sure Strika would have destroyed him by now. ''How the frag did _you_ lose so many war-sims?!'' He screamed at his leader, not at all caring that he was doing so in front of everyone after they had made a deal that he won't do that again. ''OW! Slipstream!''

''I can't believe I'm about to say this, my Lord, but I do believe I have to agree with Starscream.'' Shockwave said, ignoring the scandalized expressions from his fellow Decepticons, or the indignant look on Starscream's faceplate. ''You have never lost so many war-sims for as long as I have known you, and even if you did lose a round or two, you usually, um... How should I put this nicely?'' He seemed to think for a moment, before shrugging and deciding to be blunt. ''You usually deactivate them brutally.''

''Did you actually think I would deactivate my own sparkmate?'' Megatron asked with his own indignant expression, keeping Optimus even closer at the mere suggestion. Said bot seemed to slowly be getting out of his haze and he blinked confusedly at his bondmate.

''Still...''

''My beloved?'' Lugnut called, poking Strika, but still not getting a reaction from here. ''My lady? My beautiful General of Destruction?'' He actually started shaking her, something he would never get away with had Strika been in something of a normal state, but hearing her lord losing so many time to an Autobot- No, Strika finally shook her shock off as she realized what she had thought. Optimus had made it clear that Despite still holding the title of Prime, he was not an Autobot. She definitely didn't want to provoke him like Blitzwing had, especially after hearing this. If what Megatron said was true, than Optimus Prime would have been a dangerous opponent... or the most useful ally the Decepticon cause could have ever had.

''Do that again and I'll shove a missile up your exhaust port.'' She snapped at her consort and Lugnut backed off immediately, not wanting to repeat that experience. ''So Alpha Trion's reassurances that you are very rarely defeated are true, then?''

Optimus tried to shake off the last remaining aftereffects of that last _amazing_ overload and focused on Strika's words. ''You could say that there were maybe two or three bots all together that could defeat me.''

''We're entering Earth's stratosphere if two kliks.'' Blurr announced, taking everyone's attention away from war-sims and drawing it towards the quickly approaching form of Detroit. After almost four months, the Autobots who had been strangled on this planet for two years finally saw their second home again. A sense of home overwhelmed them and everyone but Optimus cheered. The young Prime just smiled as he saw the organic world that had accepted them and the one they had fought so hard to protect.

''Then it's time we call our human friends and inform them of our landing.''

00000

When the three shipformers disengaged from each other and landed in one of the biggest parking lots in Detroit, the citizens all cheered in greeting their heroes. When said heroes exited their respective ships and waved at the small organics, the cheering got even louder. There were apprehensive looks shot to both the Elite Guard and the Decepticons, but they all listened to Optimus, the bot they all trusted the most due to his calm personality and approachable, kind air,when he explained the situation on Cybertron in little detail but enough to settle the humans.

The mayor happily shook his hand with Optimus's finger and when he introduced the other leaders of both factions, he shook hand-to-finger with both Ultra Magnus and Megatron, Strika rather not doing so in fear of accidentally hurting the human. This concern settled the rest of their fears and soon the citizens were coming closer and observing the gigantic warframes with something akin to childish awe. The children were all running around their pedes, thrilled by the even bigger robots. A few even asked the Decepticons to show them how they fly or to show off their special abilities. Blurr was grinning tenderly when Shockwave used his expendable limbs to climb the children over the tallest of buildings so they could see all of Detroit, making them all squeal and laugh in delight. Strika and Slipstream got themselves the attention of the feminist rights protesters and they took great pleasure in learning how both femmes were TIC to Optimus and Megatron respectively. Artemis was more of an interest to the scientists, due to him being a new species despite being similar to their cybernetic friends and once enemies. Blitzwing and Lugnut apologized for the damages they had caused in their fights and Starscream and all his other clones that weren't busy showed off their remarkable flying skills to the people of Detroit, entertaining them. Prowl introduced Lockdown to a few humans that he had gotten to know somewhat in his explorations of nature and Earth creatures. Bulkhead and Bumblebee, already greatly loved by the Detroit youth, were cracking jokes and playing with them while Sari led Optimus and Megatron off to greet her father and Captain Fanzone.

The gray warlord had managed to catch the most attention, what with his tall but lean build and somewhat handsome (to human eyes) face. The power he executed in just merely standing there both scared people and drew them in. The red optics held a remarkable intelligence behind them, further intriguing the people. Many a scientist were now very much jealous of Isaac Sumdac for having the privilege of having working around and studied this powerful tool for war. Of course, Megatron saw that glint in their little organic eyes and growled at them, powering up his Fusion Cannon to warn them. Thankfully, they were smart enough and not suicidal enough to test the warlord's patience and they backed off without a problem.

''Do you think Henry Masterson will try to use a Decepticon body for his Headmaster unit, like he did with Starscream?'' Sari asked as they were now a few steps away from her father and the blond police officer.

Optimus winced as he remembered that laser Masterson had used on his neck. ''I hope not. The last two times I had to deal with him were equal to a nightmare.''

''I thought we faced him only two times?'' Sari asked confused, frowning up at her big, red and blue friend.

''Ahehem!'' Sentinel said from somewhere behind them and Optimus burst out laughing when he remembered how he had found his old friend during the Elite Guard's first visit to Earth. ''You promised you wouldn't laugh!''

''Sorry, sorry.'' Optimus apologized while still chuckling, unintentionally sharing the image with his bonded and trine and Amica Endura. Suddenly, there was hysterical laughter coming from the Jettwins, Slipstream and her brothers and Blackarachnia, almost all of them rolling around laughing. Alpha Supreme's rumbling chuckles shook the ground under the humans's feet and Megatron, too, was trying his best not to join the others on the floor and was having a hard time covering his hitching vents and rumbling chassis.

''You told everyone already?! How could you?!''

''I swear I didn't!'' Optimus said as he backed away, a grin still fighting to pull at his lipplates. ''It must have gone down our bonds!''

''Then why are they laughing?!'' He acused while pointing towards the jets, who were joined by Blitzwing in Random mode.

''Slipstream and the Jettwins are my trine! A trine bond is something between Amica Endura and Conjunx Endura in strength. I can't control it. And besides, Slipstream is spark-siblings with them,'' He pointed at Sunstorm, Dirge, Thrust, Ramjet, Thundercracker and Skywarp. ''While all their sparks originate from Starscream. Of course they still have a bond! She must have told them.''

''I'll get you for this, Optimus! Mark my word!'' The blue prime grumbled before going to tell off Blackarachnia. He stopped for a second and turned back to Optimus. ''And what's your excuse for Blitzwing?'' He took up Elita's legendary stance when Optimus and Sentinel did something stupid and got busted.

Optimus just shrugged. ''He's bonkers.''

''True.'' Megatron was quick to comment, resignation in his voice so obvious Sari snickered behind her hand.

When Sentinel went to tell the others off, Optimus, Megatron and Sari turned to Captain Carmine Fanzone and Isaac Sumdac, who had been watching in amusement. They had changed very little, especially b Cybertronian standards, but if Optimus used his higher sensitivity scanners he can see that they had aged a little in the almost four moths since they had left Earth. ''Captain Fanzone, Professor Sumdac, I hope you are doing well.''

''We'll be even better now that your Elite Guard friends will stop patrolling the city in search for stray Cons.'' Fanzone said, half a mused, half snappish and Optimus chuckled at the human's refreshingly unchanged attitude. This is something he was sued to, something he didn't have to thin about to know how to deal with. ''Heard you went missing. It's good to see that you were found. You were missed here, as well.''

A warm grin settled on the Prime's blue lips, lighting his whole faceplate up in that oh so familiar expression that soothed the fears and worries of the citizens of Detroit. Even with Megatron by his left shoulder, Optimus was still the most comforting bot in town. ''I'm glad to be found. And don't worry. I'll make sure that the Elite Guard don't bother you any more.'' He sent a dirty look at Sentinel and Ultra Magnus, who both pretended not to notice and just returned to talking with the mayor.

''So, you need those Dinobot's help?''

''Yes.'' Optimus nodded at the blond's question. ''As I have explained, there's a big war going on back on Cybertron and we'll need all Cybertronian forces focused there, including the Bots and Cons left here on Earth, despite them never even seeing Cybertron. If they desire to return after the fight is over, we'll bring them back. That is, if you don't mind?''

Fanzone and Sumdac both waved him off. ''Nah, the Dinobots really ain't so bad after you set some rules down. They're still on the island in lake Eerie, though. They tend to breath fire on anything that annoys them here in the city. Speaking of,'' Fanzone grinned at the blue flames now covering the Prime's chassis. ''Nice paint job. Never took you for the _flame-_ boyant type. Get it?''

The Professor also laughed along when the Captain cracked up, Sari once again chuckling behind her hand. It was nice seeing Optimus get teased for his new finish. It appeared to be eye-boggling to everyone, especially considering Optimus's nice-bot-next-door personality. And he was so funny with his excuse of ''I really can't explain the flames''!

''So, tell me Optimus, how did you come to this agreement with Megatron and the Decepticons? From what I understand, Autobots and Decepticons are mortal enemies that can't stand each other's existence.''

''You're not half wrong there.'' Megatron said snappishly, still uncomfortable around the man who had reverse-engineered his head and used his servo for a chair, even after finding out about his sentience. ''As for our alliance...'' He grinned slyly and Optimus's optics widened, knowing where his mate was likely to go with this. He sent a warning over their bond but the tyrant just ignored him. ''You could say that Optimus and I...''

''Megatron!''

''Came to an agreement that soothed both sides.'' Megatron finished with an evil grin directed at his mate, making Optimus scowl at him. _Such a dirty mind, my dear._

 _I'm bonded to you, aren't I._

Megatron's grin only got more smug. S _uch hurtful words from my bonded._

Optimus snorted, ignoring the confused looks of two humans and one techno-organic. _Behave yourself, Megatron, because I won't save you from explaining to the humans how we are intimate and how we bond._

 _I'd rather not._ Was Megatron's reply, repulsed by the mere thought of sharing such personal knowledge of their race with aliens.

''Then _be_ have!'' Optimus snapped outside of their bond, startling the humans and making Sari grin as she realized they must have been talking over their comms or the bond. She didn't really know how it worked, but she did know that they could now talk telepathically in such a way that they avoid any detection.

''Excuse me?'' Professor Sumdac asked, not certain what was going on.

''It's okay, dad. They were just talking over their bond.''

''Bond?'' The Captain asked, not understanding at all. This was why he hated machines.

''You know, they're bonded! It's like marriage.''

''Sari!'' Optimus yelped, not believing that she had just come out and said it so plainly.

''Marriage?!'' Fanzone and Sumdac both yelled, startling the other humans around them, all looking over. They save a confused warlord, a smiling techno-organic, two freaked out humans and one red in the face Prime.

''You're married?'' Sumdac asked, still not believing his ears.

''Can robots even get married?'' Fanzone asked. still very much freaked out. He had always thought of Optimus as a kid just out of college, but you know, a giant alien robot kid out of college, and to hear that he was married already!

''And to Megatron of all bots!''

''What exactly is this 'marriage'?'' The question came from the confused warlord, not at all liking how Sumdac was reacting to this supposed 'marriage' between himself and Optimus. Who, exactly, was the little, pathetic fleshling to judge him, the Supreme Leader of Decepticons!

''Marriage is how organics bond, if I understand correctly, but they don't merge sparks, since they don't have them, and they can't bare their hearts to each other without dying.'' Optimus explained, still red in the face. ''And, yes, we can get married. We do have formal ceremonies for friends to attend to to make the bond publicly known, but they're not really necessary, since you just have to say you're bonded to someone and that's it. Bonding is not something you joke about on Cybertron.''

''Don't you dare compare our bonds to your pathetic organic vows!'' Megatron snapped. ''I have seen these supposed 'marriages' and they mostly don't last, and that's not due to a partner's death ,but to unfaithfulness and meaningless fights and arguments! A Cybertronian has one partner for life, only one and it is extremely rare that they survive the death of their partner, should it occur. If they do survive it, they may find another partner, but they can never again bond. Not when half of their spark, their very life force and essence, has died and went to the Well with their bonded!''

Optimus placed a calming servo on Megatron's upper arm, trying to get the other to settle down a little. ''It's okay, they didn't know.'' Megatron's engines still roared and his cooling fans were working overtime to expel the heat caused by his rage. However, he did stop glaring murder at the three organics, although a scowl remained all the same.

''So it's more like real soulmates?'' Fanzone asked, trying not to anger the Decepticon further.

''Yeah, something like soulmates, only we call them sparkmates.'' Optimus explained before turning his stare into a bit of a glare. It was nothing like the growling expression Megatron had been making, but it was still somehow just as intimidating. ''And you should know that to insult one's bonded is a great taboo in our culture. By all rights, I should take retribution with how you have been treating Megatron, but seeing as how your reaction was more than expected and quite reasonable, I won't. This time.''

''You're right. I am sorry, Megatron.'' Sumdac said as he gazed up at the intimidating warlord. How had he not noticed just how much bigger Megatron was to the other Autobots? He had seen Starscream up close, seen his red optics and his sheer size, and he was one of the smaller Decepticons. Even as only a head, Megatron was about the same size as Bumblebee, and that was saying something. Starscream was bigger than the largest Autobot Sumdac had seen, but Megatron's head was about the same size, maybe just a bit smaller, as the smallest Autobot's alt mode he had seen as well. And he must have been on some drugs or something not to notice Megatron's strange behavior and the way he didn't want the Autobots to know where he was. ''I wish to apologize for both how I have treated you just now and the way I have been treating you when you were, um, indisposed.''

Said warmongering Supreme Leader of Decepticons grunted, but nodded all the same. ''And I would like to... _apologize_...'' He spat out the word like it was a foreign poison. ''For my own treatment of both you and your daughter, as well as for... _deceiving_ you the way I have.''

Isac Sumdac nodded, accepting the bad apology for politic's sake. Fanzone, on the other hand, chose to antagonize the Devepticon further. ''Wow, that must have hurt.''

Surprisingly enough, Megatron didn't get offended. ''More than you know. But, you must realize, the things we bonded mecha do for our love.'' He sighed theatrically, making Optimus nudge him rather painfully with his elbow, and due to their size difference, hitting Megatron right in the abdominal plating, making him grunt almost mutely.

''Don't complain. You're the one who proposed.''

The Police Captain chuckled. ''You two are like a newly wed couple. And I don't meant that as a bad thing, before mister gray-and-armed gets offended.'' Megatron raised an optical ridge at the blond human but ignored the comment. He like this one, so he wasn't going to get in a conversation with him that might end up with Megatron having urges to squash an annoying pest. ''Anyway, how can we help?''

'''We'?'' Optimus questioned.

''Of course!'' The slightly taller human gestured at himself, then Sumdac. ''We've been with you bots since you came here, through good and bad, and although we didn't always get along, you're out friends, you know. So we're going with you and we're helping.'' Optimus looked at Sari, who shrugged, the to Megatron, who only rolled his red optics at the two humans but conceded with an indifferent nod.

''As far as I'm concerned, as long as you can take care of yourself, you may as well come along. You _are_ Cybertron's allies, and we _will_ need all the help we can get. Just stay from under pede; I have more important things to worry about than weather or not a squashy human is under my feet while I walk.'' Megatron said casually, not at all caring if they come or not. He was honest; as long as they don't get in the way, he couldn't care less what they were doing.

''Don't you worry, Megatron. We've been around Autobots long enough to know where to step and where not to.''

''Only one problem. Autobots are not Decepticons.''

''Yeah, I noticed.'' Fanzone deadpanned.

''Now that that's over with, lets get down to business.'' Optimus said, drawing their attention to him with ease. ''We're not planing to stay long, so if you could work as fast as you can, Professor, we'd be very thankful.''

Sumdac nodded. ''Why, yes, of course. I'll see what I can do to help.''

''Sari will bring you up to speed back on our ship. You'll be working on Sigma Supreme, the blue and white ship.'' He told him when the human looked at him confusedly. ''Our two top scientists, Perceptor and Wheeljack, are going to help you, as well as Ratchet, Starscream and my SIC, Artemis. Anything you need that has to be gotten extra fast, Skywarp and Blurr are the ones you need to talk to. If you need hacking, ask Shockwave or even Cliffjumper, they're too good to be noticed. If it will make you feel better, Sari and one of the other Autobots can stay with you, but you should be aware that we need all free bots searching for the remaining Allspark fragments that are still dispersed on Earth.''

''I'll see what I can do.'' Isaac nodded, preparing to go off with Sari. ''And what will you be doing?''

''I'll be going to Dinobot Island to talk with Grimlock and get them to help us. Megatron will need your help, Cpatain Fanzone, in finding the Constructicons and, if we're lucky, Soundwave.''

''Then it's a good thing we've got a lead on where those oil-chugging creeps are.'' The police officer said, distaste clear in his voice. ''That little one is getting on my nerves, always ordering the other two to steal or destroy. I'm sick of them in my town! Take them with you and don't give them back.'' He pointed at Megatron, who looked confused at being the one accused. ''They're your men, aren't they!''

''I may have employed them to work for me once or twice, and while they might wear my faction symbol, they ware not my men like all other Decepticons are. They are servants of good oil, and should anyone ever get better oil than me,'' A snort, indicating what Megatron thought of anyone having a better taste than him and the power to keep it. ''They'd work for them.''

''As for Soundwave, we have no idea where he might be.'' Sumdac nodded at the other's words. ''He didn't make a peep since your last fight with him. I think you embarrassed him in your little battle of bands.''

''What?'' Both Cybertronians asked, not understanding at all.

''You know, when you played the guitar against him before hitting him with it?'' Sari explained and Megatron turned to his lover.

''You can play an electroguitar as well?''

Optimus rolled his optics at Megatron. ''We may be bonded, but you've still got a long way to go before you learn everything about me.'' The other pouted at this, while Sari snickered and Fanzone did his best not to chuckle. ''Anyway, I was thinking of leaving him up to Lockdown. He _is_ a bounty hunter, after all. If he makes a fuss, throw in Prowl into the deal and he'll follow you to the end of the Universe and back.''

''Are they bonded, too?'' Sumdac asked, interested.

Optimus shrugged. ''If Lockdown was concerned, he would have bonded with Prowl the first time he was on Earth, but Prowl's playing hard to get.''

''I heard that!'' Said cyber ninja said as he walked up to his leader, a playful glare on his face. ''So, where do you want us?''

''After Soundwave, meaning underground.'' Prowl nodded. ''Just be careful, alright.'' He nodded again and took a hold of Lockdown's elbow joint and dragged him off to the nearest sewer opening, disappearing down there in seconds, the Decepticon bounty hunter reluctantly following him. ''Well, now that that's settled, I'll go direct the others were to search. Megatron, you better be off. With Dirtboss, Mixmaster and Scraper are quite a bit of trouble.''

''Can I slag this Dirtboss if he makes a fuss?''

''Only if he tries to mind control you.''

Megatron left with a big grin.

''Dirtboss is slagged, ins't he?'' Bulkhead asked as he walked up to his Prime.

Optimus shook his head. ''I'm not going to get into this discussion, Bulkhead. Just... Try to keep him out of trouble?''

''You're expecting me to sparklingsit _Megatron_?!'' Was the incredulous reply and Optimus only shrugged sheepishly.

''Normally, I would do it, but I have to get Grimlock, Snarl and Swoop.''

''Yeah, I don't envy you either.'' And with that, the big green Autobot hurried after Megatron, calling for the tyrant to wait up. Fanzone looked at Optimus helplessly, as if trying to convey just how much collateral damage he's seeing in the future, before following the two mechs, Bulkhead slowing down to place him on his soulderstrut.

''So, where do you want us, Captain?'' Blurr asked as he and Optimus's crew come to stand in front of him, all of the saluting and Artemis bowed slightly.

Optimus turned to them and considered everything. ''Dinobot island is mine, so the rest of Detroit is for you guys to search through. Blurr, I want you to search the ground outside of the city, there are enough of mechs to search in the city limits itself. Alpha and Omega are going to go back into orbit to scan the entire planet and trans-warp anywhere they might find a shard's signal. On the ships will be one bot of each faction. Slipstream, you and your brothers, other than Skywarp, are to fly over Blurr's path, as well, and further out of the city limits. Jetfire, Jetstorm, you are going to find Wreck-gar and check underwater after you haul his aft back here. Anyone needs assistance, you'll be the first to answer the call.'' The four nodded, before departing to do their duty. Optimus turned to the Quintesson. ''You'll help in the labs. We'll need the knowledge Quintus passed down to you. Don't give them the dangerous stuff, but do try to improve our equipment.''

Artemis nodded, bowed and left.

Optimus gathered the rest of the bots that had never set foot on Earth and briefed them of just what some of the local villains are capable of. He made sure to stress that they are to avoid Meltdown (sure, as far as they knew he was dead, but strange thing had a problem with staying dead here on Earth) and any big, flying, purplish heads, as well as to not make trouble for the locals. He sent the Decepticons to search in old Detroit, Yoketron and Jazz had the forests, Balckarachnia and Sentinel had the business district while he sent Bumblebee and Ironhide to search the subway. Hot Shot and Brawn were going to be on Omega Supreme and Alpha Supreme, with Strika and Shockwave respectively. Ultra Magnus was going to act as the warframe for Sigma Supreme and he was going with Hot Rod as the civilianframe. Arcee agreed to help search for the Allspark fragments around Lake Eerie while the Jettwins will go underwater later to see if there were signs of Wreck-gar there. First Aid was to remain with the scientists and help Ratchet discurage them from doing anything stupid (especially Wheeljack stupid).

When he was sure everyone was directed to their sector pr station, Optimus let his wings unfold, awing the people of Detroit and especially Professor Sumdac. ''Hey! You couldn't do that last time, could you? I know you had to attach it to your back like a mod. How did this happen?''

Optimus smiled. ''Your jetpack was so magnificent, Professor Sumdac, that it integrated with my systems with the help of a little Allpsark energy. I feel I need to thank you for this wonderful feat of engineering.''

The scientist got flustered a little under such genuine praise and tried to wave it off. ''Oh, nonsense! It was the least I could do to help after everything you have done for us.'' He couldn't help but observe how once a mod now turned vital parts of a grounders frame activated and adjusted to Optimus's commands, nor could he ignore the new grace this appearance gave the ex-Autobot commander. He suddenly seemed very different to the other bots around them, all getting ready to follow his commands without a fuss.

''Still, thank you.'' Optimus looked up at the sky for a second before returning his blue gaze to his companion, who Sari will introduce to their scientists as soon as he leaves. ''I need to take off now. Autobots! Transform and roll out!'' Said faction did so without hesitation and Optimus powered up his thrusters, rising in the air. ''Decepticons! Transform and rise up!'' The warbuilds were quick to acknowledge the order and follow it just as quickly, both factions taking off at the nod from Optimus, going to their sectors. The red and blue bot then turned to the three awaiting shipformers and sent them the same order across their commlink and the Supremes powered up their engines, heated their thrusters and took off gently, so as not to harm anyone or break anything.

Optimus waved at the people of Detroit before taking off into the sky, heading to fulfill his own mission.

00000

Dinobot Island was deceptively quest when Optimus landed, just like it always was. One would think that it was devoid of any sentient life, that only birds and smaller mammals lived on the big once volcanic island, but they would be wrong. Optimus knew very well that there were at the very least three Dinobots, created by Sari's Key's Allspark-infused power, roaming around and he was just waiting for them to come out.

There was also the possibility of the remaining Allspark fragments creating more bots in their absence, so Optimus wasn't going to take any chances. Besides, this was going to be hard enough even without any additional setbacks and new bots.

And just as Optimus thought that, he heard _four_ , not three as he had hoped, roars coming front the tick forest in front of him. Lucky him, the fourth one didn't sound like it came from another Allspark infused Dinobot, so that was a blessing. Not liking how this will turn out, Optimus reached into his subspace just as the four making the sound came through the bushes.

And here the Lat Prime couldn't help but stare as what looked like a big Earth bee mutant. No, it was not a bee, more like a wasp? Optimus wasn't sure and he wasn't in a hurry to find out when he noticed that the green organic monstrosity was fighting Grimlock and the Dinobots, who were trying to drive him off the island. He easily recognized the green mech as Wasp, or rather Waspinator now, but how had he survived? Was it something with the organic half of techno-organics that made them endurable enough to survive explosions?

Optimus snorted at this thought. He was a Prime and he was thinking such silly things! His brother was Quintus, the greatest scientist of all times! He should know better.

Optimus had to give it to Waspinator, he was holding his ground against the bigger mechs quite well. Then again, he was taller than Optimus now. The Dinobots were in their robot mode, so it might be that they have a bit of a disadvantage, but he knew that they preferred that form over their root mode. Waspinator's stingers were more powerful now, but the three beastformers had strong armor plating, barely feeling the sting.

And it was then that Waspinator saw Optimus, standing there with his servo halfway in his subspace, and the purple optics blinked at him. Then recognition struck and the now Decepticon charged at Optimus with a shriek. Optimus activated the Chimera Stone without thought, his EM field becoming a solid wall between them, sending the bug back. The Decepticon used his organic wings to stop himself from falling onto his back and instead used his stingers on Prime. Seeing this, Optimus took out the Hunter and absorbed all of the attacks, before reaching in for the Omni Saber and cutting through the attacks as if it were nothing. Maneuvering around and spinning a little, Optimus reached Waspinator and socked him one right in the face, sending him to the Dinobots's feet.

However, the Decepticon wasn't done. He got back to his stabilizers, transformed into his new alt mode and used his wings to send wind at the Autobots, messing with their optics from the strength of the wind. ''Waspinator destroy all Autobots!'' The insane voice mocked them, rasping insults and all the ways he wanted to do it. ''Waspinator king of this island! Waspinator best there is!''

''Big bug wrong!'' The leader of the Dinobots snarled, growling when the wind picked up but still staying on his stabilizers. ''Grimlock best there is! Grimlock strongest! Grimlock hottest! Grimlock coolest!'' He moved towards the Decepticons, but Waspinator only increased the speed of his flapping wings, pushing the Dinobots and Optimus back. ''Grimlock in trouble.''

Optimus sighed and slid his battle mask in place, raised the Omni Saber and made a slashing motion. The black blade that reflected no light easily cut through the wind, even sending a sharp wave of it at the bug that reminded Optimus a bit too much of a deranged Insecticon for his liking. The impact had Waspinator spinning over his head a few times, before he shook his head and glared at Optimus. ''Waspinator kill Bumblebot's friend!''

''Let me see you try, Decepticon!'' Optimus taunted, returning the sword back into its place and taking out the five parts that made up the Blade of Time, assembling the dagger-sized blades and making the golden sword, already glowing with blue light as it powered up at the touch of a true Prime. Optimus thought of Seperam 3 and its weird vegetation and lifeforms and decided that that would be the place where to transport this creature who had once been a sensible Autobot. Just what had happened to him in the Stocades?

Waspinator pounced, snarling at the Prime and Optimus answered simply buy cutting another portal in space and time, destination Sep's third moon. The other tried to stop himself, but it was too late, he fell into the portal and Optimus was quick to close it, disassembling the Blades of Time just as quickly and putting them away. He was aware of the Dinobots getting back to their feet and preparing to pounce on him as well and Optimus sighed as he dodged the swooping attack from, well, Swoop.

''Truck robot help Dinobots, so Grimlock not hurt truck robot!'' Grimlock told Optimus and the red and blue fire truck turned to the leader of the Dinobots.

''I'm afraid that's just not going to cut it, Grimlock. I need your help.''

Grimlock transformed and towered over Optimus, growling like the beast he is. ''Dinobots not care for Truck robot's problems! Grimlock not help weak Truck robots who can't fight like Dinobots!'' Swoop and Snarl growled in agreement, releasing a huff of fire as a threat to Optimus. But the red and blue bot has seen way too much to be intimidated by such displays, especially since he remembered his past life. After remembering Unicron and even Megatronus's temper, Grimlock is a sparkling in comparison.

Optimus smirked in challenge, narrowing his optics as he locked them with Grimlocks own blue optics. ''You know what I think? I think you don't know how to fight like a bot, Grimlock!''

The taunt had the wanted effect as Tyrannosaurus rex robot transformed into root mode with an almighty roar that sent all the animals in the surrounding bushes scattering in fear. As the tall mech growled at Optimus, the Prime only took up the stance he knew was most effective against Onyx in their training sessions and mocked Grimlock by waving his hand in a ''come and get me'' motion that had the dinosaur mech charging at him with a snarling glare. Swoop and Snarl also transformed into root mode and backed off a little, completely fine with Grimlcok fighting the Prime.

Now, while Grimlock was almost as big as Onix had been, he couldn't fly like the Predacon Prime could, so Optimus only powered up his thrusters and jumped into the air long enough for Grimlock to sail past him, colliding with a big, sturdy tree and making it shake. A nest fell out of the tree when it shook and Optimus quickly flew over to catch it, knowing that not only would Prowl be pissed, but also that Quintus would probably chew him a new one if he didn't. Besides, Optimus knew how fragile the organics that are still bound to nests are so he was more than glad when he caught it because it held four birds ready to start learning how to fly. Tsking at how they had almost gotten into the crossfire, so to speak, Optius set then on another tree a bit further away and flew back to where Grimlock was getting back up on his feet.

Said Dinobot had just gotten back to his stabilizers when Optimus touched down. The leader of the Earth-bound beastformers bared his big fangs at Optimus and made a swipe at him, but Optimus easily dodged. They repeated this a few times until Optimus managed to punch Grimlock in the face, but the Dinobot's clawed hand reached out and made a quick swipe at Optimus's chest armor. The Prime winced, the scratch stinging and he knew both Ratchet and Artemis were going to give him a piece of their CPUs as soon as they see the wound. He scowled at Grimlock, who sent him a smug look as if to say he was better.

''Truck robot should quit. Grimlock clearly better. Grimlock stronger! Grimlock the best Dinobot there is!''

Optimus's scowl only deepened at the arrogance. Was it the size that made all mechs bigger than him so arrogant? ''Yet I'm still standing and in fighting condition.''

Grimlock's smugness evaporated at that. ''Grimlock not want hurt Truck robot. But if Truck robot won't accept Grimlock better without a fight, me Grimlock force you Truck robot to accept!'' He drew out his sword and set it aflame, advancing on Optimus while swinging the deadly weapon. Optimus dodged three attacks before ramming into the bigger mech's midsection, making him stumble and almost dropping his sword.

Taking the opportunity, Optimus made two back-flips until he was a reasonable distance away from the Dinobot and reached for his subspace. Recognizing the gesture, Grimlock scuffed as he put his sword up over his head, boasting. ''Truck robot's swords small! Grimlock's bigger!''

Checking one last time on his scanners that none of his companions have followed him or come anywhere near the Island, Optimus smirked at his opponent. ''We'll see.'' He said as his hand grasped for the one sword that can rival the Hunter. His blue servo gripped the handle of the big, long white sword as he pulled the Star Saber out of his subspace and positioned it for battle. The Dinobots all shrieked in instinctive fear of the undefeated weapon as it slowly started to glow a bright blue in the Last Prime's hands. ''Well, what do you know; mine's bigger.'' He said smugly, watching as all the Dinotobts retreated into their alt modes in a sign of submission. Grimlock even bowed his neck so as not to loom over the Prime so much, worried frowns on their faces.

The Dinobots might not have any conscious idea as to what Optimus was holding and the power in this one relic, but they were made by the Allspark so they were Cybertronian, and every Cubertronian reacted to the presence of a Prime's power, even if in the smallest of ways. The Dinobots may be young, but their instincts were a lot stronger due to their natural beastformer frame. It may have made them a bit limited in the processor area, but that will develop with time as it had with the Predacons, the Dinobot's predecessors.

''So, will you help us?'' He asked in his most authoritative voice, watching as the Dinobots exchanged uncertain looks and he put the sword away. ''I realize you've never been to our home planet, but every Cybertronian longs for the closeness of Primus's Spark that is at the planet's core. You may have onlined on Earth, but Cybertron is as much your home as Earth is. If you want, you are allowed to return here, but please help us save Cybertron!''

Grimlock looked at his two companions for a brief moment before turning back to Optimuw while trying to regain his usual composure. The Star Saber appears to have greatly unsettled them. ''Dinobots help only because Truck robot said please.'' He huffed, daring to transform into root mode again and Optimus smiled gently when the other two followed his lead with a nod.

''Please, Grimlock. If we're to be allies, we should call each other by name.'' The Tyrannosaurus rex bot thought for a moment before nodding. He seemed to be trying to remember his name so Optimus extended his servo like the humans do when they are greeting an associate. ''It's Optimus Prime.''

''Me Grimlock think you Prime should lead the way.''

Optimus shook his helm in exasperation before doing as the Dinobot leader said and leading them to the boat that is always there to go back to Detroit by from the Island. He briefly wondered how the others were doing, before looking back to the place where their battle that had the Allspark dispersed took place and instead of heading to the lakeside, headed into the mountain.

''Where you Prime going now?!'' Grimlock growled even as he, Swoop and Snarl followed.

''To retrieve something.''

00000

It didn't take Megatron long to find the Constructicons, as the police officer and the little green wrecker had feared.

They were hiding in an abandoned oil field that was thought dried up of its resources, but then again, humanity couldn't possibly build machines that could dig deep enough to reach the deepest fossils for the best fuel. However, the Constructicons could and all they needed was one of the old machines still in the field and a few other pieces of scrap to make a new and improved version of the digging equipment the humans had used.

''Wow, that was easier than I thought.'' Bulkhead commented from behind Megatron as they watched Mixmaster and Scrapper chugging back two barrels of newly refined oil. The two Cons have yet to notice them and the infamous Dirtboss was nowhere to be seen.

''And it will be over so even quicker.'' The Decepticon Lord grunted as he stalked over to where the two were talking boisterously. Bulkhead looked at the human at his shoulderstrut but Fanzone just shrugged at him and the space bridge technician sighed before following the tyrant. After all, he had promised Boss-bot that he would look after his bonded, even if said bonded was the slag-maker himself. He watched from behind the warframe as Megatron stopped about five mechanometers from the two Constructicons before speaking in such an authoritative voice that echoed around despite it not being too loud. ''Decepticons, how dare you not acknowledge the presence of your leader!''

The effect was instantaneous. Mixmaster dropped his barrel of oil while turning around while Scrapper's jaw dropped open in fear and surprise. The two yellow and light gray construction bots opened and closed their intakes for about three or four kliks until Megatron snapped that he was waiting. ''Megatron! We thought you were-'' He didn't get to finish as the warlord backhanded him with his cannon arm, sending Mix flying faster than a rocket.

''You will not address me so informally!'' The Supreme Commander of the Decepticon Armies growled out in his grumbling voice, making the two Decepticons in front of him shake in their plating. ''That is Lord Megatron to you, Constructi _con_!''

''Much apologies, Lord Megatron. We thought you were dead, sir, after that explosion.'' Mixmaser continued in a shaking voice. He had to reset his vocalizer before he continued. ''Scrapper and I took refuge in an old car manufacturing plant, where they drooled over in-repair cars. We were found by that nice green fellow behind you,'' He pointed at Bulkhead and Scrapper waved to Bulkhead, who returned it with his left servo since Fanzone was on his right shoulder. ''And he offered us a big job, where we found, uhm, Dirtboss. He made us do stuff I'm not really happy about and-''

''Enough! I have heard enough of your glowering that I am disgusted that you allowed somebot else other than your lord and master to command you!'' Mixmaster shut his mouth and covered beside Scrapper.

''Bu-but he's using these weird _things_ that _makes_ us do these things! We're loyal to _you_ , Lord Megatron.'' Scrapper mumbled, barely brave enough to speak up when the gray mech was so angry. Frag Dirtboss, this was a bot he'd not want to get in a scuffle with, even over the _best oil on the planet_.

''And you didn't attempt to find you fellow Decepticons so they can deal with this imposer commander? Lugnut and Blitzwing, as two of my lieutenants, have such a duty as to ensure our troops don't go AWOL. They would have destroyed this Dirtboss.'' He spat the designation with such disgust that all the others around him flinched.

''We didn't want to appear weak in front of our superiors.'' Mixmaster quickly thought up an excuse, even if it was quarter of the truth. One quarter was Dirtboss's terrible power and the other half was the oil they had been getting.

''While that is how a true Decepticon would act, you two are not warriors to be able to deal with it on your own. You may be big and have some sort of weapons, but you are not warframes. Besides, you are practically sparklings, even by organic standards. While you might have held you own quite well against the Autobots, you don't have the needed skills and experience to deal with such issues on by yourselves.'' Megatron admonished and Bulkhead's jaw hit the floor while Fanzone stared, neither believing their hearing senses.

''We'll remember that, sir.'' Mixmaster replied, the two walking towards Megatron when the warlord suddenly whirled around and caught the two small remote control devices flying towards him in a single servo like he had caught Starscream's bombs when the seeker had been trying to offline him during the Elite Guard's first visit to Earth. He snarled as he looked to the source of the devices and saw a small, purple and bright green mech that had too big of a face and no real shoulders to speak of. His stabilizers were stumpy little things and Megatron doubted that if the mech stood next to him he would even reach his waist. Maybe barely, but he still doubted it.

''Who do you thin' you are ta take ma bots away?!'' The little mech said in an angry voice and fired two more controlling devices, but Megatron only swiftly took out one of his swords and cut the devices in half wihtout a second thought. Seeing that Megatron was still holding two in his other servo, Dirtboss activated the drills that were built in the devices and Bulkhead saw Mix and Scrapper flinch when the sound of the drills against metal was heard.

However, Megatron didn't flinch in pain nor did he show any signs of it even existing. He simply threw a glance at the servo holding the two devices and tightened his hold on them, crushing them as if they were nothing more than a human sweet cracker. He let the crushed metal fall from his servos and both the Constructicons and Bulkhead watched in shocked awe as he reveal his undamaged hand.

''That's not possible! Those drills can bore their way into anythin'!'' Dirtboss said with fear cursing through him. ''Eve' the strongest metal alloy!''

Megatron smirked at the pathetic excuse of a unit leader. The bared sharp dentas of the Decepticon warlord had the little mech backing away in terror. ''Perhaps it can drill through any alloy here on Earth, or maybe even Autobot plating, but Decepticons are made for long crussades in space, created to withstand meteor collisions, direct hits to the chassis and even some of the strongest laser fire. Nothing this little organic world can produce could do more than temporarily incapacitate a Decepticon warframe.'' The supposed leader of Mixmaster and Scrapper turned to flee but Megatron just took five running pedesteps and easily took hold of the running mech. ''You asked who I was, did you not?'' Megatron mocked him with an innocently thoughtful, but Dirtboss wasn't stupid enough not to see the deadly promise in those reed optics and he shivered in fear. He only had a few weapons and his greatest asset was the ability to control other, bigger mechanisms. Mixmaster and Scrapper were made from Earth alloys, so he had had very little trouble with getting through their plating and controlling them. This mech had far too tick an armor for his drills to get through and this meant that he couldn't take control of this monster of a mech.

For the first time since he came online, Dirtboss experienced real fear.

''I will tell you who I am, you pathetic waste of metal!'' The tyrant growled and tightened his grip on the stumpy mech's helm. He almost fit in Megatron's hand without the need to stretch the black fingers. Dirtboss hissed in pain as the metal of his helm dented beneath the brute, blunt force of the warmonger's grip. ''I am Lord Megatron, the Supreme Leader of all Decepticons, the Slag-maker, the Terror of Kaon, the Champion of the Gladiatorial Pits, the Emperor of Destruction. And you have just compromised two of my very important construction workers. What do you think your fate should be? I wonder?'' He threw the sniveling, shaking fool across the oil field, commanding the others to leave the premises. He stalked after his prey, ignoring the muffled pleas of mercy. ''Deactivation seems too easy a way to finish this.''

All Bulkhead, Captain Fanzone and the Stunticons heard as they drove off of the fields was the screamed ''No, no! NOOO!'' before they were too far out of hearing range to get any idea if the forklift bot would survive the ordeal or not.

00000

Lockdown grunted as the annoying bird like robot swooped down on him again, knocking him on his aft. Laserbeak wasted no time and started firing at him, making the bounty hunter roll on the ground in order to avoid being struck by the lasers coming from the thing's mouth. The bird Minocon made a screeching sound as it was forced to avoid one of Lockdown's mod's attacks, retreating out of range before swooping in again for another round.

Not far from him, Prowl was dealing with Ratbat, who was just as hard to defeat as the other Minicon. Or were they Minocons? They looked the part to Lockdown, but then again Soundwave looked like a cassettedeck, so it was possible these were his cassettes. The other ninja bot was having a bit more luck than he was at the moment, because Prowl has yet to ever fall on his aft as spectacularly as Lockdown had just done. And he was trying to talk to Soundwave, who apparently found more of his little minions and they were either protecting him or helping him pack up his equipment. One was a big cybercat, all black with red blazing optics, and he was guarding Soundwave's back, growling at them anytime they get anywhere near the light Prussian blue bot. Lockdown was sure he heard Soundwave call call him Ravage, or something. He was the one that had revealed their location, having been hidden in the shadows. Two other strange little bots (he's going to ask what they are later, when he's not getting his aft whooped by this pipsqueak), one dark blue and the other black and red, almost identical to each other, were flitting about, taking away the equipment. The latter one was more dangerous as far as Lockdown was concerned, because he had arms that could transform into powerful piledrivers that, when pounded against the ground, can cause earthquakes. He had taunted the bounty hunter with some strange rhyme that for unknown reasons got on his nerves.

Who says ''Get ready to tumble with Rumble'' anyway?!

The other one is just as annoying, what with his sonic attack that could almost rival Screamer's most irritating screeches. Those two are bad news and Lockdown was glad he was on the Decepticon's side, most of the time anyway, if these are the new recruits the Autobots would be facing if the truce doesn't work out.

''Soundwave, you have to at least listen to us!'' He heard Prowl yell over the sound of Ratbat's attacks. The thing was trying to bite him, now, as Prowl had somehow managed to disable his lasers. Lockdown wondered if it would be too distracting if he asked for a crash course of step by step instructions because this annoying birdie was going to damage some of his mods of it continues like this and then all Pit will be set lose. Pit hath no fury like a bounty hunter when his mods were destroyed.

''I am Soundwave, I do not have to do anything an Autobot says.'' Came the monotone reply as Soundwave prepared to leave in seconds.

''You don't have to do anything just listen!'' Prowl growled in annoyance and finally hit Ratbat with one of his golden shurikens. ''Cybertron is under attack by the Quintessons, one of our ancient enemies, so both the Autobots and the Decepticons have agreed to a ceasefire so we can drive them off, together!'' The black and gold ninja hurried up to where the Decepticon was, barely avoiding sonic blasts from Franzy or the deadly swipes of Ravage's sharp claws. ''If you don't believe me, contact Megatron and ask him yourself! He's here to recruit his Decepticons that had escaped imprisonment from the Elite Guard and he said he won't leave Earth without you!''

''It's true, you know.'' Lockdown was ignored as Laserbeak hit him in the chest from his downward swoop. He grunted and quickly caught the damned thing, ready to snap its neck, only for Rumble to thrust his servos into the ground, making an earthquake and flattening the hunter on his aft, releasing the cassette in the process. Prowl also fell on his aft if the angry grunt was anything to go by.

''And why should I believe you? One is an Autobot and the other a lowly bounty hunter.''

''HEY!''

''Would I be working with said bounty hunter if all forces weren't being hailed back to fight of the Quintessons?'' Prowl, Allspark bless his spark, only continued talking with the other mech, acting as if it was completely normal for a pair of highly trained cyber ninjas to be throughly trashed by a few cassettes.

''You have teamed up with him before. I have recordings.''

Well, slag.

''Be that as it may, that was a one time thing and you've seen me fighting alongside my friends plenty of times after that. Besides, you must know by now that I have offlined in that final Battle for Earth. My return to the world of the living was interesting enough, but how do you think I came back?''

''The bounty hunter did something. I have seen humans revive robots so why would it be so hard for a robot to revive a robot?''

''Well, yes, only Lockdown isn't exactly a scientific genius who could do this, now is he?''

''HEY!'' Lockdown didn't like how they were ignoring his existence.

''Look, just call Megatron and ask him! We're running out of time!'' Prowl completely ignored the indignant cry from his companion, too busy trying to understand how Optimus made it look so easy when he talked mechs into working with him or following his commands. He had done it with Prowl and the Dinobots on a few occasions, then both the Elite Guard and the Decepticons, but Prowl couldn't do it with one Decepticon?

Soundwave didn't answer and his cassettes remained on high alert, but Laserbeak finally let Lockdown have a break. A few minutes of tense silence passed between them before Soundwave nodded. ''Lord Megatron informed me to go with you. You were telling the truth.''

Both Prowl and Lockdown let out vents of relief. They seriously didn't know what they'd do if Soundwave refused to come willingly. ''Could this incident possibly stay between us? Con to Con?'' Lockdown asked, not wanting this to get out. It would ruin his reputation as both one of Yoketron's best students as well as an undefeated bounty hunter. He would rather Swindle not hear about this. It was fragging embarrassing enough that his intended had seen him like this, he didn't need the rest of the galaxy to know, especially Blitzwing. He'd have to kill the slagger if Random started teasing him.

''And why should I not announce my victory to all?'' The Prussian blue mech asked as he finished his packing, now not so frantic but still in a hurry. After all, Lord Megatron was waiting.

''Because if you do I will hand out the video of your fight with Optimus that I had taken that day.'' Prowl answered without missing a beat and Soundwave thought for a moment before conceding. When he was ready, he followed the two cuber ninjas the way they have come before stumbling onto Soundwave's lair. Lockdown cast a glance at his smaller ninja companion and sent him a heavily encrypted message over their private commlink, resorting to old ninja training and using the coded language only cyber ninjas knew. ::Do you really have that vidoe of Prime defeating Soundwave?::

Prowl sent him a sly glance from the corner of his visor, his smugness quite clear in his answering message. ::If I filmed every fight Optimus won, I'd run out of space on my memory disc::

Lockdown looked on, shocked, as Prowl started swaying his hips while he walked in front of the bounty hunter. ::Are you sure you're not part Decepticon?::

His inquiry never got an answer, but Lockdown swore to himself that he was going to make Prowl his mate if it was the last thing he ever did.

00000

When Optimus made it to the place their ship had crashed and he had dispersed the Allspark, he immediately felt that most of the pieces had not even made it past the island. He could feel their presence in his spark, the way they reacted to his presence alone. He had to say he was a little freaked out that his spark was now in pieces... Well, his old spark was, but he had a new spark still beating in his chest... Yeah he had one fraged up life, he knew.

Optimus walked around a little until he found the place they had buried the Allspark's old casing, sighing in relief when he found it undisturbed. He asked Grimlcok, when the Dinobot came to look over his shoulder, if he could help him dig it out. The big sparkling complained but did as he was instructed, even doing most of the work and presently surprising Optimus when he handed it over civilly and not just throwing it at his pedes.

When the orange casing was in front of him, Optimus actually spared it a moment's thought as to why it was such a color. His old paint job very much resembled the one he had now, courtesy of Primus showing Primal Major that vision and giving him that task, if they were not the same, The only thing that really made them different was that, despite Primal's vest efforts, his servos weren't nearly as precise as Solus's had been. Then again, with every interaction he has had with his old spark's energy or pieces, the finish looked more and more like his sister's handiwork. Still, that had been blue, red and silver paint when his frame turned into this casing. It should still be those colors... Or had one of his brothers repainted it for some reason?

The Matrix responded by showing him the Quintessons landing in Iacon, heading towards the Temple of Primus that the Allspark resided in, closest to the Well any building will ever be built, guns out and shouting at the priests and acolytes to hand over the red, blue and silver casing. They were answered with five warframes flanking Alpha Trion as the old mech grabbed the Allspark and ran while his companions fought off the Quints. Two escaped, carrying a heavily wounded soldier with them. The relic in his chest showed the Quintessons demanding that the life-giving artifact be handed over or all of Iacon will be leveled to its very foundations. Alpha Trion had created a cube-like replica of the Allspark's casing, covered in the glyphs of Primes to fool their enemy even more, and put a timed bomb, disguised as Optimus's crystallized spark, in the place the Allspark stood in the original and they sent it off, but the old mech knew that once they discovered that the item they received was fake, they will look for the real thing, so he repainted the casing in a completely different, unattractive color of old orange. When the replica exploded and destroyed three ships, the only thing the squids knew about the Allspark was that its casing had been red, blue and silver and a vague idea of its shape. They had quite literally walked pass the artifact a hundred times when they marched through Iacon, and more and more mechs and femmes were sparked right under their noses.

Optimus snorted as he opened the casing and sat down right in front of it. Figures it would be the Archivist that would repaint him. Although, he had almost suspected it to be Prima who would do it. He had been the most shocked and the most against Optimus's new style after Solus had been finished with him. Not that he really cared about how his precious youngest brother looked, but he was a bit of a stick in the mud, as the Constructicons had once described Optimus himself.

''What you Prime be doing?'' Grimlock asked as he observed the older robot with curiosity and confusion. ''Me Grimlock thought we in hurry?''

Optimus looked over his shoulder at the Dinobots and smiled at the way they had assembled and mimicked his sitting position, pedes crossed and their servos on their knee joints. They reminded him of sparklings and he only now realized that they essentially were just that, despite their lard bodies. ''We are, but I must do this if we want to win.''

''Can me Swoop, he Grimlock and he Snarl help?'' The Pteranodon Dinobot asked and Optimus smiled at him, but still shook his helm.

''I'm afraid not, This is something I need to do alone, although I would appreciate it if you would watch out for anyone who might interrupt me. This will leave me quite vulnerable and your protection will help.'' The Dinobots immediately transformed into their beast mode and stood tall at the praise of their guarding skills, despite it being quite subtle. They puffed up their chassis and took up their positions to watch over the Prime, making Optimus chuckle and turn back to the casing with a small smile on his lipplates.

The smile disappeared as he reached his servos out and cupped them in front of the place his chassis opened and out came Slipstream's Allspark fragment. It floated around him a little before settling in his palm, obviously quite reluctant to leave its place beside Optimus's Matrix protected spark. The youngest Prime felt the power of said artifact reacting to the fragment if his old crystallized spark and he flinched as it reached out to take the piece back in. However, everything was going according to his plan. The pull of the Matrix of Leadership extended even further than his palm as it felt all the other fragments so close by and it tugged at them as well.

The Dinobots could don nothing but watch in fascination as Optimus began to glow with Primus's blessed blue light while the Matrix worked, gathering all the fragments from the Island and calling them back into Optimus. The Prime had to concentrate on the Chimera Stone to actually stop the fragments from reforming his old spark in his chassis, because he knew the Allspark will be lost forever if he allowed the fragments to settle back in their original place. His body ached for his old spark, but if he allowed it to happen, their race will be in big trouble. Sure, they could still give birth to sparklings, but there are the cases of couples who can't have sparklings on their own and as such their only hope is the Allspark. Seeing as the next hundred or so vorns probably won't have very much mixed couples, the next generation would mostly consist of sparked mechs and femmes. If the Allspar were to return to its dormant state in Optimus, the generation that _would_ come would be very small and weak, consisting of only born bots. And seeing as how little Autobots and Decepticons trusted each other, there might not be much more born sparklings after that, either.

No. The Allspark had to stay.

Optimus gave more power into the EM shield as more and more fragments landed in his cupped servos, all of them longing for their place in the mech they had been the life-source of for that small eternity before the birth of the First Generation. The crystals kept coming and Optimus was vaguely aware of the Dinobots having to dodge some that were whizzing pass them. The lights became brighter and Optimus started being aware of all the sparks present on Earth and he even got the impression of seeing the sparks on Cybertron. He saw his bondmate, his friends, his trine, the sparklings created as adults on this planet... He saw the offlined mecha all waiting for their brethren to join them so All could be One. He even got a glimpse of that special sector of the Allspar where his own brethren were waiting for him... All twelve of them.

A sense of peace overwhelmed him as the last fragments from the Island settled in his cupped servos. They were still just random pieces that are yet to become the whole that they were supposed to be, so Optimus was quick to place them in the casing, closing it and locking it so only he can open it. The Allspark's casing glowed at his touch, acknowledging his presence and sending longing pangs through him to have his spark back, but he sent his own determination at continuing Cybertronian life back and it resignedly settled on an active bond with its Prime. The Matrix of Leadership happily strengthened the bond, creating an almost physical link between them.

Optimus shook his helm to return to his senses of here and now, before looking back over his shoulder at the Dinobots. He frowned as he realized it was already getting close to the start of dusk so he climbed to his pedes and stretched his tense frame. It would seem he had stayed here far longer than he had intended. He noticed that the Dinobots were staring at him and he raised an optic ridge at them, but their only response was to transform back to root mode and Snarl motioned questioningly to the Allspark casing. Understanding the question, Optimus allowed him with a nod to pick it up and carry it as they finally started making their way towards Detroit.

00000

By nightfall, everyone but Optimus and Sentinel and Blackarachnia were back.

Prowl and Lockdown were the first to come back, beaten and dented as they waited for Sigma Supreme to return with the medics to fix them up. Soundwave had his cassettes all packed up in his chest compartment and neither of the three were willing to bring up a conversation, so the air was quite tense as they waited. Slipstream and her brothers were the next to return, Blurr having decided to take one final lap around the city to check if there were any more Allspark fragments hiding somewhere. Each of the seekers was holding two Allspark fragments, except Skywarp, who had managed to find two more, making it a total of 16 Allspark fragments, or as Jazz called them, Smallsparks.

Said ninja bot and his mentor were the next to come back, but they only had 3 fragments between them. It would appear that the fragments don't stray that much where there are no machines, not to mention that most of them had been the first to return when he and Prowl used processor-over-matter to remake the Allspark during the Battle for Earth. Then Blurr pulled up, his subspace filled with 10 fragments. Apparently, a part of the open road outside Detroit had five pit-stops and three restaurants as well as many lights, so the Smallsparks had all hidden there, and there was one that had ended up in an old car. Blurr said that he was honestly quite surprised that the fragment in that one hadn't brought it to life like the things tended to do with other non-sentient machines.

When Bulkhead and Fanzone arrived with the Constructicons but no Megatron, Lockdown had teased them about their ability to lose a warbuild of Megatron's size until Prowl stabbed him with his shuriken, not too strong but strong enough for it to stick, making the bounty hunter yelp. When he asked his fellow Autobt where the warlord was, Bulkhead and Fanzone only told them not to ask. Said gray mech did arrive a few breems later, just as Blitzwing and Cyclonus were landing. The two Decepticons bowed to their lord and gave over 7 more Smallsparks.

Not long after that, all three Omega Snetinels landed and the medics started yelling and cussing at the glitches that were Prowl and Lockdown for getting hurt now of all times. Ultra Magnus and Hot Rod informed them that they had found only 2 Smallsparks, Strika and Hot Shot another 4 and Shockwave and Brawn only 1. Ratchet said that it was a good thing, meaning that most of the fragments were still in Detroit and not all over the planet, which will make the search a lot easier. Some time after that, the Jettwins had returned with Wreck-gar and 5 more pieces, talking excitedly about how much fun it had been exploring underwater.

Bumblebee and Ironhide were proud to return with 20 Smallsparks, smug that they had so far returned with the most fragments. Apparently the subway was the best place to hide, especially if you were parts of an alien life-giving relic. They had also used the time to finally become somewhat friends, forgiving each other the things that had happened back in boot camp.

Now the only ones that have yet to return were the three Academy friends.

They actually arrived at the same time, Blackarachnia and Sentinel carrying with them a big double decker bus since they couldn't extract the 2 fragments stuck in its engine and tailpipe, and Optimus walking calmly with the Dinobots flanking him and Snarl still holding the casing of the Allspark. They came from two opposite directions, so when the Dinobots saw Blackarachnia, they dropped the Allspark container, ran past Optimus and straight for the femme spiderbot. ''Spider-Lady!''

Blackarachnia could only look up and say ''Oh slag'' before both her and Sentinel were flattened by three very happy, dinosaur sized sparklings. Optimus couldn't help but snicker as the three Dinobots all happily told Blackarachnia just how much they missed her and loved her and how they would never let her go again.

''I take it this isn't the first time you are seeing this.'' A voice now behind Optimus said and the Prime smiled happily as strong servos hugged him from behind. Megatron kissed his mate's helm lovingly, watching the amusing sight and enjoying how the youngsters were all laughing so happily.

''I guess you could say that.'' Was the cheeky reply as Optimus tried not to either melt in Megatron's loving embrace or to double over laughing at his friends's predicament.

''Optimus, a little help!'' Sentinel shouted from where Snarl had all but sat on his chin in order to be closer to the blue Autobot's girlfriend. ''Get off, you fatso! I am not a chair!'' He struggled to push the Triceratops Dinobot off of him, unable to lift his wight. ''Optimus!''

''Coming, Sentinel.'' Was the sighed reply as he tugged at the warlord's arms to be let go, but Megatron just tightened his grip. ''Megatron, let go.'' He told the bigger mech a bit snappishly, not liking the way he other easily denied him escape. ''They need assistance.''

''It's okay, Optimus!'' Sari said as she watched Bumblebee rolling on the ground and Laserbeak filming the scene at someone's request that this be recorded for blackmail purposes. ''I'm sure that they are having fun!''

''Yeah, B-Boss-bot!'' Bulkhead said between his laughs. ''They can wait a few more kliks. Or breems.''

''Optimus!'' Sentinel snapped from underneath the Dinobots, Blackarachnia doing her best to shove them away. ''Do something!''

''I am sorry, but Optimus Prime is currently unavailable. Please try again later.'' Megatron parroted what he had heard Sumdac's receptionist bot say, saying it in such a deadpan voice that he sent everyone except the femme and mech under the Dinobots to the floor, laughing their sparks out. Megatron only grinned proudly when he heard his mate's beautiful laugh, holding him closer and enjoying the other's joy. After seeing the other so sad and depressed, Megatron quickly learned to treasure every smile and laugh from his bonded. The void he had glimpsed worried him, but Optimus seemed to be alright. He couldn't imagine where that emptiness comes from, but he would take a wild guess that it would have to do with the bots he would have had to prove himself to, the ones that Optimus had mentioned when Cyclonus had been talking about requirements fro being Megatron's Conjunx Endura.

''Optimus, you traitor!'' The femme yelled as Grimlcok tried to snuggle up with her. ''I'm going to rip your spark chamber out and feed it to the Sharkticons!''

''You'd have to find them first, Elita!'' Oprimus informed her in a singsong voice, chuckling when the Dinobots started licking his friends and finally decided that enough was enough when Blackarachnia looked moment away from using her poison on them. ''Alright, that's enough, Grimlock, Snarl, Swoop.'' The three mentioned growled but Optimus only took up Elita's oh so infamous stance with the tapping pede that had the Dinobots whimpering sadly as they got up and off of his Academy friends, coming to stand before him and sitting down, pouting like little sparklings. Megatron did his best to neither snicker nor activate his battle protocols at the sight of such big mechs so close to his bonded. ''So, did you find any fragments of the Allspark?'' He asked as he absently rubbed the transformed Snarl's red nose thing. The Dinobot purred at the pleasant touch but backed away from the little Prime when Megatron growled at him. Grimlock, ever the alpha male, growled back but a menacing glance from the Decepticon Lord had him backing away slightly, too, but not bowing his neck in submission like he had to Optimus with the Star Saber.

''All in all, we've got 70 bits of the Allspark. Did ya find any Smallsparks, OP?'' Jazz asked, showing the box they had placed the fragments in and then pointing to the buss before looking back at the red and blue bot.

Optimus extracted himself from Megatron's arms and walked over to the Allspark's container and opened it, revealing 40 more fragments. ''Most of the fragments never made it off the Island in the first place, so it was easy to find them.'' Optimus said as he looked over the assembled mechs and femmes. He motioned for Jazz to come over so they could place all the fragments together, the inside of the casing now looking as if someone had crashed a smaller crystal chandelier in it. ''Now that we've got all of the Allspark fragments here, I suggest you get your upgrades or repairs, because we're leaving for Cybertron in two Earth hours. If anyone needs me, I'll be briefing our newest recruits on what they'll be facing and what to expect.''

With that, Optimus nodded to the others and motioned for the Dinobots, the Constructicons, Wreck-gar and Sounwave to follow him. The cassettedeck did son only after receiving a positive nod from Megatron while the rest of the Bots and Cons went to the medics and scientists, receiving their upgrades or new weapons. Needless to say, Ironhide was very happy with his new cannons, Prowl and Lockdown were relieved to have their dents fixed and Sentinel liked his new, stronger shield, while Arcee was quick to drag Yoketron off to practice with her new pair of laser swords from Ratchet and the Decepticons all liked their new spark-signal dampeners, saying that it will be a very useful tool.

00000

They had left Earth as planned and soon received the Peaceful Tyranny's current coordinates, trans-warping some distance away.

Optimus's plan was for him and Hot Rod to enter the ship using a smaller vessel that would be used to escape the ships should they head for a star or crash into a planet. Optimus was going to steer the ship while Hot Rod was going to be on the weapons. They were going to put up a struggle before they were to allow the DJD to drag them onto the ship. Of course, Cyclonus and Megatron had protested, but not even they could dissuade the two stubborn stars of their generations in the Academy. Once on the ship, Optimus would take point with Hot Rod behind him, shooting with his energy bow anyone who tries to get onto their little ship or get behind Optimus's back while the older Prime fights them off.

They were going to allow the DJD members to drag them out of the ship after a little more fighting and that's when the real fun starts.

When Optimus had called the mission fun, almost everyone in to room had nearly tore his helm off for his recklessness.

However, that's when things get dangerous, which Optimus openly admits to. They will be surrounded by the cruelest if all Decepticons, at their mercy and in clear for any attacks. Even if they the thickest armor plating to protect their circuitry and spark, they would offline, especially since Tarn will be there without a doubt. Both Optimus and Hot Rod realized just how vulnerable they'll be and yet both are more than willing to go. They made a deal with their lovers to keep their comms open so that everyone back at the ships can hear them and, should the need arise, Skywarp will transport Megatron and Cyclonus onto the Peaceful Tyranny to stop the DJD from slagging them.

It took Optimus and Hot Rod ten breems to just convince their lovers to let them boar their little shuttle, and another two for Optimus to convince Alpha Supreme to let them out.

And the plan worked!

Which was why Optimus was currently baring his denta behind his battle mask, glaring at the laughing Decepticon Justice Division as the fraggers enjoyed his and Hot Rod's helpless position in the middle of a big circle. Hot Rod was right behind him, keeping his back safe, as they both surveyed the cargo bay the Division's members had been quick to occupy just so they can make fun of the two little grounders that have made so much trouble for their fellow Decepticons. They had put up quite a fight, making it look like they were desperate...

It would seem that they were better actors than they have been giving themselves credit for.

''Silence!'' A voice that made everyone's spark weep in agony shouted and Optimus recognized his companion's discomforted gasp as his signal to extend an energy field around his friend. Optimus was more than protected by the Matrix of Leadership, the ancient relic surrounding his spark and guarding it both from emotional and physical pain. Whatever Tarn had to dish out, it won't come through the Matrix. Hot Rod, however, had no such protection so Optimus had to use the Chimera Stone to create an EM shield around his younger companion and he felt the other sag in relief at his back, his confusion clear in his EM field as he cast a look at Optimus.

Said Prime could hear the panic from their comm links and he sent that they were just fine and allowed Megatron to use their bond to check on him as much as the Deceptiocn wanted, knowing this was far too unnerving for their bond when it was still so new, still so young and almost fragile. He could so clearly detect Megatron's distress leaving, only slightly, as soon as he realized Optimus was in no danger. Cyclonus, however, only shut up so he doesn't put his lover in more danger by distracting him.

''Well, well, well. What do we have here?'' A tall, purple tankformer came from the parted crowd as he inspected the two groundframe civilians that his crew had dragged aboard. He had tick armor and three Decepticon sigils on his body, one on his chest, one below his abdomen and one that made up a mask for his face. Two cold, cruel optics watched their prisoners, Hot Rod becoming tense at the scrutiny while Optimus prepared all of his siblings's relics, ready for whatever Tarn does. Said Decepticon walked over to stand in front of the taller civilianframe, looking him up and down.

He was flanked by three other mechs that Optimus easily recognized as the rest of the infamous powerful transformers, the Phase Sixers Overlord, Sixshot and Black Shadow, all of whom sneered at them, though Overlord's optics roved over Optimus's frame a bit more than the Prime was comfortable with. He glared at the insolent Decepticon, making Overlord laugh at his bravery and many other DJD members laughed as well. Tarn let them, instead studying the fighting stance the red and blue mech had taken up, clearly showing that out of these two, not only was he the leader, but he was also the more skilled fighter.

''What's this? Two Autobots daring to approach my Peaceful Tyranny?'' The DJD leader asked, tsking at their stupidity and watching in wonder as neither flinched. However, a flash of fear was still present in the orange, yellow and brown Autobot while the red, blue and silver one only seemed to draw strength from his partner's fear. Interesting. ''What do you want in this sector, Autobots?''

The taller of the two captives drew himself to his full height, looking Tarn directly in the optics and he was surprised and offended not only by the lack of fear in them, but the bored light in them! How dare he! ''Actually, I have come to talk with you, Tarn of the Decepticons, leader of the Phase Sixers and the DJD.'' Gasps echoed around the cargo bay, but Optimus didn't waver. Murmuring spread out and a few dared to ignore Tarn's silent warning to keep quiet just so they would jeer at the Prime.

''Oh?'' Tarn raised an optic ridge, his optics roving over the pretty frame before him and wondering why this bot even had such ballbearings when he was so much smaller than him. ''And what do you have to talk to me about?'' He narrowed his optics. ''Please don't tell me you have decided to join my Division.'' Laughter immediately spread through the room, the members more than tickled at the thought of such bots in their ranks. They would be chewed out in less than a joor.

Optimus snorted, ending all laughter and turning it to growls. ''First off, this is not your Division. It's Megatron's.'' Overlord sneered at the warlords name while Tarn stiffened. Mechs the Prime recognized as Kaon and Tesarus stepped out from behind the other Phase Sixers, watching the Prime with something akin to interest. Not many dared point out when Tarn was wrong for fear of their sparks being extinguished by only his voice. ''Second, I wouldn't be part of your crew if it was the only thing that would save my life.'' More growls from the rest of the DJD while Vos, Agent 113, Helex and Nickle joined their fellow DJD Officers. Maybe they thought they could intimidate them, and while it might be working on poor Hot Rod, Optimus only glared at every each one of them, raising more interest in himself.

''Then why did you come here, puny AUTOBOT?'' The title was spat out like it was the foulest thing in the Universe, Sixshot's face scrunching up like he had just stepped into a filthy organic waste.

''Hey, look, Six! I don't think he's even an Autobot! Must be a washout!'' Black Shadow taunted when he saw that Optimus had no Autobot badge anywhere on his body. Many snickered at this, but Optimus only replied in a bored tone.

''You're right, I'm not an Autobot. I am a Cybertronian and I'm here to get your help in driving off the Quintessons from Cybertron, which I oh so happen to know is your home planet as well.''

The DJD Officers all bared their fangs at him, sneering at his audacity to even talk to them in such a tone but Tarn raised a servo to stop them from taking the small bot apart. ''And what made you think we would want to help _you_?''

Optimus retracted his own battle mask to bare his denta at the Decepticon fanatics on front of him. ''Maybe the fact that Megatron himself has ordered all hands on deck for this war, so no one ends up the Quint's slaves?'' He hissed, showing some of the aggression that comes from his new bond with Megatron. The tyrant, as a warframe, was a lot more aggressive than Optimus was used to in such close proximity from anyone other than his brothers and sister, so it was taking some time to get used to it, but it was quite useful now. The one thing the Decepticons liked was aggression and destruction of their opponents, so Optimus clung to that anger that was always there in Megatron, using it both like a sword and like a shield.

Besides, if Tarn decided to fight him, Optimus had been looking for a good fight ever since his brother's death.

''And how do we know if he wasn't hacked?'' Tarn hissed right back, getting up in Optimus's face and glaring his red optics into Optimus's royal blue ones. Optimus's finials moved forward in clear agitation and aggression, showing that he wasn't afraid of a fight breaking out between them and he pushed Hot Rod away from him.

''I would think that Strika knows him best, so she would have been the first to retaliate, don't you?''

Tarn let his aggression out in the form of a punch directed directly at Optimus's faceplates, but the Prime only put up his battle mask and ducked. He rolled a little ways away and got back to his pedes, showing him the universal sign of ''come and get me'' with his outstretched right servo. The rest of the Division, Hot Rod and the Phase Sixers immediately backed out of the room, dragging the Autobot Prime with them, and closed the doors before turning on the security footage as they cheered for their leader to slag the little grounder. He was held in Helex's smaller servos, since the rest of the Division were all too big to carry him without crushing him and Hot Rod prayed to Primus that tehy get out of this still online.

On the screen he can see that Optimus had reached into his subspace and pulled out a beastly looking mask, placing in over his own faceplates. It was almost enough for Hot Rod not to recognize the smaller bot holding two blades in his servos, one black with no reflections of light, the other looking like it had thousand little transformation seams. Just where had he gotten those and what was going on.

In the cargo bay, Optimus had taken out one of Onyx's Triptych Masks, The Predator - the second layer of the mask that allowed Onyx to gain immediate knowledge of any being he encountered. It showed him all of Tarn's strong spots and the unnoticed weak points Tarn had reveal in his stance. He also noted that Tarn had been injured on his left knee joint, making it an especially vulnerable spot so Tarn was forced to place it behind him and balance more on his right stabilizer. Had it not been for the Masc, Optimus would have had a hard time finding it. He contemplated which weapons he should use and decided to forgo his axe, instead using Cyber Caliber and the Omni Saber, two sword that, even without their special powers, were meant for fighting bigger bots.

He and Tarn circled each other and the DJD leader had taken out his own blades, drenched in old and still somewhat fresh energon, stinking up the room in seconds, the two never taking their optics off of each other. Tarn was at a great disadvantage and he didn't even know it. He was built like Megatronus was, the height a little smaller and the pedes of a different shape, but his frame resembled the twelfth Prime enough for Optimus to know how to fight him, so the Prime changed his stance a little before striking, striking at the cannon arm and pushing it to the side, slamming the hilt of the Omni Saber into his abdomen. Tarn grunted before raising his other arm and aiming for the Prime's shoulder, but Optimus raised his own arm, bringing the Cyber Caliber up and blocking the attack. They were in a locked position like that for a few moments, optics locking on the other's, before they both jumped away at the same time, raising both of their swords up in front of them and charging in the same breath.

Swords clashed and clanged, bodies were pushed away and dented, thrown over one shoulder or slammed into a wall, pedes were so quick and elegant as they moved that it looked more like dance steps than a battling scuffle. Cooling fans roared and energon soiled the ground as the two fighter refused to give any ground. Optimus used his jetpack to avoid a few attacks more easily and Tarn part transformed his left arm into the caterpillar track to stop a vicious attack from the Cyber Caliber, pushing it aside and down when he moved the track. It caused Optimus to fall to the ground and he barely got out of the way when Tarn tried to step on him.

The soldier outside were cheering and booing as the fight continued and Hot Rod was forced by Cyclonus and Megatron to transfer the image he was seeing of Optimus fighting Tarn, making most of the bots on the three shipformers curse and neither Blurr nor Slipstream took the opportunity to whack them. He himself was too entranced by the sight of Optimus fighting to pay much mind to what was being said over the commline, not wanting to miss a single moment of his Academy idol in action. It was why he never heard Megatron announcing that he would be trans-warping there in seconds, Cyclonus demanding that he be brought too and was as such just as surprised by their appearance with Skywarp as the rest of DJD. Megatron had been about to storm into the other room and demand that the fight stop, but the sight of his bonded fighting so feral made his pause.

However, Optimus had noticed Megatron's arrival through their bond and decided to end this before his mate did. Dispersing the Cyber Caliber into five pieces and throwing them at his opponent like knives, distracting Tarn enough for the Last Prime to charge at him and knock him off of his pedes with the blunt side of the Omni Saber, the big sword easily sweeping the big pedes from under the equally big mech. Tarn landed with a mighty crash and before he could gather his bearings, Optimus stood by his helm, the Requiem Blaster out and pointed at the DJD leader's helm.

There was utter silence outside as the DJD members and the Phase Sixers took in the impossible fact that _Tarn_ had just _lost_. They were so shocked that Helex didn't even notice Cyclonus snatching Hot Rod out of his custody, though neither did the Autobot, optics still fixed on the screen he had been watching.

''Are you going to listen to me now?'' Optimus asked, still not removing his weapon from its place nor making a move to take off the Triptych Mask and it was for this reason he was the first to notice Tarn activating his special ability.

''I will never bring myself so low as to listen to your Autobot lies!'' He roared, his vocal immediately reaching that frequency that killed mech in seconds and preparing himself for the little grounder to fall over in agony, but Optimus only calmly placed his Blaster over Tarn's neck, right where his vocalizer was and pushed slightly, his meaning clear. He watched with shocked optics as Optimus cocked his helm to the side, the Mask making him look rather scary, the nonchalance in his field sending dread through Tarn. ''Why aren't you affected?''

Outside, Megatron, Skywarp, Cyclonus and Hot Rod sagged in relief at hearing the terrified question,and asked so meekly, while the rest of the ship's occupants had almost completely forgot about the Decepticon Lord's presence. On the Supremes, the rest of the little group looked at each other in shock, because it was a well known fact that no one can resist Tarn's special ability.

Optimus shrugged his shoulders. ''Why don't you take a guess?''

Tarn's optics narrowed, even though he bared his neck in submission and defeat. '' _What_ are you?''

''The thing that will bring our species back together.'' Optimus replied as he took away the cannon from the other's neck but didn't retract it. ''Will you listen now?''

Tarn rubbed the sore spot the nuzzle of the weapon had been and reluctantly nodded with a snarl. ''Fine. I'll listen to you, Autobot.'' He looked at the red and blue mech and cocked his helm slightly to the side. ''Just who are you to have the courage to come to my ship and fight me? We could use more soldier like you, and since you're not with the Autobots-''

''Optimus Prime!'' He was interrupted by Megatron running in, optics blazing and expression promising Pit for making him worry. ''When I get my servos on you, you'll wish you were facing down Unicron himself!'' He picked up the little mech and held him close, almost suffocating him with his grip. ''Are you trying to make me have a spark-attack?''

''Lord Megatron!'' Tarn immediately stood to attention and saluted his leader. ''Welcome to the Peaceful Tyranny, sir!'' He was greeted back but he just looked at the large mech cradling the grounder and couldn't help but ask. ''I take it you know him, my Lord?''

''Of course I know him, Tarn. He is my sparkmate.''

''WHAT!?''

00000

''Well, I think that went rather well.'' Optimus commented as he watched the Peaceful Tyranny settling against the hull of their three joined ships, feeling satisfaction as Tarn and Overlord had just saluted him and called him 'sir' before the transmission was cut. It had been an eventful two joors of explaining how Optimus and Megatron met, how they had fought, now the tyrant had fallen for the Autobot and how he had defeated the warlord. Megatron had then gone into detail of their little pursuit of the Prime after he had been kidnapped, never missing to highlight the fact he was free and un-hacked only thanks to Optimus and making Optimus be considered in a whole new light.

They hadn't gone much into the intimate act, only that the bond was strong and true, finally settling Tarn and the rest of the DJD.

Then they had started discussing the situation back at Cybertron, Megatron explaining that Autobot and Decepticon forces were working together for now and that they will discuss a possible peace later, after they chase away the squids once and for all. He made sure to inform them that Optimus had been sent to retrieve a powerful weapon that will help with this and that they had gathered the rest of the Allspark fragments before they had come for Tarn and his crew.

''I'm going to kill you one of these days myself, kid. I swear you were placed on this world only to scare the spark out of me.'' Ratchet said as he and Artemis treated the young Prime. They hadn't made Optimus leave his place from the window, feeling better with someone always watching those fanatics.

The DJD hadn't been all too happy to accept orders from an Autobot at first, but Optimus had had his fair share of displeasure at having repeatedly correcting them that he was not an Autobot. It had gotten so bad that the situation with Blitzwing yesterday looked like sparkling play in comparison. Then again, it might have something to do with Overlord being a masochist and railing Optimus up so much that the Prime had taken out the Hunter, ready to pound some _real Justice_ into the Deceptcion Justice Division. Luckily for Megatron, his pet enforcers were saved of that Justice when Tarn shooed out the Phase Sixers, because, having felt Optimus's wrath in battle, he knew his arrogant comrades were destined to die at the Prime's servo should they push him over the edge.

''I just might have to help him, my Lord Optimus. You are far too reckless.'' Artemis commented as he dealt with a dent, wondering why Optimus allowed them to fuss over him like this when he could just use the Forge to fix himself up in seconds.

::I do it because it settles Ratchet's processor to do something with his servos, and when he personally checks me over, only then does he relax.:: Was the reply he got and the Quintesson realized something must have shown on his faceplate.

''I promise to be more careful, if that settles you a bit.''

''Don't get cocky with me, kid!'' Ratchet snapped good-naturally, giving a friendly glare - although how a glare could be friendly, Optimus still didn't know, but it was something only Ratchet could do - while the old field medic finally put away his tools, instead picking up a bit cleaning fluids as he started to clean off the energon that had been splattered across his leader. ''I worry about you, Optimus. So much has happened to you in such a short period of time. Any other bot would have broken under the pressure, yet you go on as if this is completely normal.''

Overlord had cornered Optimus in the corridor while Tarn and Megatron contacted the rest of the Decepticon forces, relaying new orders and restrictions to killing Autobots. The blue and white-gray Phase Sixer had admitted to being intrigued by the smaller mech and he had, with incredible speed, pinned the red and blue Prime to the corridor wall, leaning in to whisper in the former Autobot's audials how much he envied Megatron and just what he would do to him if Optimus was his. Those red optics were filled with such lust as he spouted sadistic forms of interface and Optimus was so repulsed he was not even aware when his servo had reached for the Blade that was part of the five pieces of the Blades of Time that he kept at his utility belt and slashed the towering Decepticon right over the face before using the Chimera Stone to further push him away.

''I know that you do, Ratchet, but I _am_ fine now. Believe it or not, Sentinel and Megatron can both be quite comforting when they put their egos aside.'' The mentorbot of Alpha Supreme commented with a chuckle, which turned into a gentle laugh when the two medics couldn't suppress their snorts at the fact. When the laughter died down, Optimus turned serious again. ''Although I have to admit that I have been in the Pit before that moment. Alpha Trion's death... shook me up quite a bit.''

''We noticed. That's why we worried so much.'' The red and white medic said, focusing op Optimus's left audio finial as Artemis knelt down to clean up Optimus's knee joint. Although the Quintesson was a lot older, he had not aged like Ratchet had, so his own joints had no problem bending into a kneeling position.

Expecting the Decepticon to be angry and want to continue the fight, Optimus ahd drawn out the other four pieces of the Blades of Time and gotten into position, but Overlord had just laughed it off and told him he seriously was jealous of Megatron for finding such a mate as Optimus. He had then just walked off, telling Optimus that if he was like that, there was no way he was an Autobot, ending their earlier debate on that note of neutrality. He hadn't seen the other mech until he and the others were supposed to come back to their ships and the Peaceful Tyranny was to sidle up to them so that they were trans-warped with them.

Optimus smiled at his team's medic, warming the other's spark without even knowing it. ''Well, there's no need to worry now. I'm fine, and although his death still hurts, I know he wouldn't want me to be too depressed by it. It would only hurt and worry him.'' He allowed the two medics to finish up their detailing of him, which was rather unnecessary and very much pointless as he was about to be covered in dirt and Quintesson guts in a few breems all over again, before he got up and stretched his joints. ''Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to corner a certain Magnus and ask him for a certain frequency so I can call a certain mech to help us in this war and surprise a certain Decepticon Lord along the way.''

The two watched him walk out of Omega Supreme's med bay and both shook their heads, wondering if Megatron will be able to keep up with his bonded for the rest of their functions or if he will just give up and allow Optimus to drag him along.

00000

Green optics were watching Cybertron hungrily when the scout came in with the message.

She wasn't worried at all. Sure the Decepticons were helping their Autobot enemies for now, but to her it was only a matter of time before they realized that Megatron must have been hacked and reformatted when he had made the declaration of a ceasefire while they fight off the Quintessons. Her armies were strong, and although the warframes would have been very much welcome in their initial attack, they hadn't been on the Autobot's side, either. And when the Decepticons realize what must have befallen their precious Lord Megatron, Strika, the infamous General of Destruction will give over Megatron's title of Emperor of Destruction to her and the Decepticons will fight for her.

It would seal the fate of all Cybertronians in one, for them, painful moment. She would get the chance she needed to upload the slave coding into the warframes, and this time there would be no Forge wielding Primes to purge them from their systems. The mightiest force in the Universe would be hers and hers alone, Cybertron itself will be hers, along with those six moons that orbited the planet. With that one planet in her possession, the rest of the Universe would be easy to conquer. These fools walked on the surface of the deadliest weapon in the Universe and they had no idea. She guessed she would have to be thankful to the lines of Magnuses that came after the death of her creator's brothers. They had, all on their own, decided to erase the Linage of Primes from the existence of their people's minds, making it oh so easy to defeat them now. Why, if they had even one bot who knew just how Cybertron could defend itself, that one bot would have been able to change the tides of this war before her armies even entered their solar system.

She did find it a bit irksome that this was taking as long as it was. How had the Decepticons not yet realized what had befallen their leader? She knew Strika was rumored to be a lot more intelligent than she was showing now, so what was stopping her from executing retribution? And why were her troops not yet returning with the head of the one who had been insolent enough to dare and kill her Pepest, one of her only two remaining living brothers, and take into custody or kill her second brother, Artemis? For that matter, why was Thamast not reporting in?

''My Queen, this humble servant informs you that a scout wishes to speak with you regarding their last patrol and their findings in said patrol.'' A cyborg told her as he knelt before the Queen of all Quintessons, who even the three judges bowed to, the oldest of their species. Perhaps of all species. After all, Quintessa was one of the First 100 and Quintus had created them before any other world got populated.

''He may come.''

The scout was also a cyborg, but he had more metal parts for he was meant to endure the harshness of space and possible battle. He knelt as soon as he passed the threshold, bowing his head at the most beautiful of all Quintessons, as far as he knew, anyway. Quintessa had always known that Artemis would have more of an appeal to her followers if he were ever seen, but then again her creator had spent the most time on him and his frame.

''My Queen, this humble scout wishes to report.''

''You may continue.'' Oh, how she loved the power she had over all of her people. She was the only one who, beside her two brothers, knew all of their frame's secrets, the one of the only three who knew how to lead her people, how to feed them and fix them. She so loved this power she was addicted to it.

''An emergency escape pod has reached out outer lines in this galaxy, my Queen. We have identified it as one from the Prince Thamast's ships and have taken it on board. It proved to be the right decision, my Queen, as in it was your son and out Prince, Thamast.''

Quintessa turned on him, green optics blazing. ''My son is back? Was he victorious?''

''I... do not know, my Queen. He would not wish with this humble scout, nor our medic.'' The cyborg bowed his head lower, hating himself for not being able to answer his Queen and master. ''The Prince,'' He hesitated to find a suitable substitute for 'demand' before continuing. ''Insists on speaking with you, my Queen.''

Her green optics flared in rage, knowing what he had wanted to say. ''Then bring my insolent son before me, scout.''

She would teach him to not demand anything, especially of her.


	31. Chapter 31

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth,a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: The battle begins.**

Arriving on Cybertron was not at all what any of them had wanted it to be.

The planet was truly and fully surrounded by the immense numbers of the Quintesson fleet, their spiraled ships firing on the Elite Guard ships and the warframes all fighting to stop them from breaching the orbit. The outposts on the six moons were either destroyed or in the process of being so. Had they not found Optimus and his crew when they had, they would have never caught up to them. There were attack drones chasing Decepticons or cornering smaller Autobot ships, but they were swiftly destroyed by other Decepticons as they howled in triumph, even such a small one.

The Quintessons had deployed all of their little pet projects and thus far, the Qvotus have caused the most damage, though the Kukuzorian warriors were a close second. What disgusted Optimus the most was that they had taken Quintus's originally cleaning drones, now known as the greatest enemy of the Cybertronians, the Scraplets and had let them lose on some ships. Quintus, Megatronus and even Liege Maximo had been very proud of their little Scraplet farm and for these creatures to go from cuddly helpers in cleaning up Solus's, Quintus's and Alchemist's messes to deadly mecha-eaters made Optimus growl in rage, He had also caught glimpses of remains on mechs who had fallen pray to the Sparkeaters and he felt his tanks wanting to be purged from his rations as he imagined what agony they must have gone through.

''They are truly monsters.'' Ultra Magnus commented as he, too, observed the loses due to the terrifying armies the Quintessons have brought with them.

Optimus didn't spare a moment longer to the sight as he turned to the rest of the Autobots, Decepticons and Neutrals. ''Alright, here's how this is going to go. Megatron, you and Strika will take over the command of your Decepticons as soon as we lay down a few rules and basic formations, the same goes for Ultra Magnus and the Autobots. These ships will detach from each other as soon as this briefing is over.'' He looked over everyone and made sure they were all listening. They were.

He nodded and got down to business.

''I want the Phase Sixers to deal with the Sparkeaters, as I know for a fact that they can deal with anything. None are to go alone. The DJD is to fight as many of the Kukuzor warriors as they can and quite frankly, I don't care if they must offline them if the situations calls for it. They are Decepticon responsibility. You tell them how to fight. The only rule I have for them is no offlining anything even remotely resembling Cybertronians. Be it big or small. Because if I learn that they are, I will personally come up here and beat some discipline into them.''

The two commanders nodded in understanding, a bit intimidated by the promise.

Optimus nodded back to them before turning to Cyclonus.

''I want you to escort Roller to a ship as soon as it reaches the battle. He is to brief the crew of said ship and you are to wait on board until he is done, then you will take whoever he sends with you into battle and try to stop them from offlining. Stay close to the ship.''

Cyclonus nodded and Optimus turned to his little partner.

''Roller, you know what you have to do. Blurr will connect you to Trypticon-''

''So you're already planing on imprisoning us, are you?'' Starscream angrily asked.

Optimus looked back at him with an annoyed look. ''Should I have a reason to do so, Starscream? Becasue if you're going to try and overthrow Megatron now, I ask you to state so immediately so I can lock you up until the battle is over and leave you to your own kind to deal with later. We're at war and I kind of need Trypticon free right now.''

''Oh no, you're not freeing Dcepticon prisoners! No way!'' Sentinel argued this time. ''I've been letting you get away with enough slag as it is, Optimus! Do you expect me to allow you to free war criminals?''

Optimus just sent him the same look he had sent Starscream. ''Do you plan on joining him in a cell, Sentinel?''

The blue and orange bot gapped at him.

Optimus took a page from Alpha Trion's book and expertly ignored him like he would Prima's and Megatronus's bickering. He looked at Slipstream and the Jettwins. ''You three are going with the Decepticons, so be careful. You'll be in direct line of attack, but I have faith in your abilities to slag them without getting slagged yourselves. Stick with Starscream and the rest of the seekers, and if not them then with Lugnut and Blitzwing.'' He looked to the two mentioned Decepticons and told them that he wants them working on the Qvotus. ''They're weak against fire, and you two pack quite a bit firepower. They can't fly, but they can glide. In space, that's enough so be careful, they're rather fast.''

''I will not fail our glorious Lord Megatron!''

''I will crush them before I burn them to crisps!''

''Ratchet and Artemis will guide Omega Supreme and Alpha Supreme, while Ultra Magnus will land Sigma Supreme in Iacon, where you are to wait for me.'' He told the Magnus. ''Gather all those who had been involved with the Project Omega and make sure at least one bolt or screw of each fallen Omega Sentinel is there if their bodies were destroyed. Artemis will drop me off at a place of my own choosing before going to defend the skies over Iacon. Ratchet, you are to ensure that we are not followed to the location I have mentioned, and after Alpha leaves said location, you are to go into orbit and help our allies. Keep smart and stay careful.'' He looked at Cliffjumper and Shockwave. ''You two are to keep up our communications and battle statuses, as well as contact the Elite Guard and demand that they activate the Fortress Maximus. I need Iacon's air clear for take off!''

''Yes, sir!'' The two saluted.

Optimus turned to Blurr. ''You already know where your place is, Blurr. Give them Pit.'' The Intelligence Agent nodded and firmly saluted, walking over to Skywarp, who soon caught up and nodded as well.

''Bumblebee, you and Sari will go with Sigma and wait for me in Iacon. You'll be guarding the Allspark, so don't draw attention to yourselves and don't leave the shipyard until I come. Bulkhead, you'll be working on the space bridges, make sure that the Network is operating at prime capacity.'' The three youngsters nodded and also saluted like everyone else had so far.

''Hot Rod, you and your team are to guard Iacon streets, because I know a few of those damned attack drones will make it through our defenses. Gather the rest of the Elite Guard that can't fight up in the orbit and make them get out in the streets. Perceptor and Wheeljack are to oversee the chosen replacements of the fallen mentorbots and make sure that they are suitable for the task. Blackarachnia will oversee the choosing, so be careful of your choices. Sentinel, I want you to go to the Temple of Primus and announce to the priests and acolytes that I will be paying them a visit with the rest of the Allspark fragments and that then I'll be taking the Allspark back into the Well. Warn them that a techno-organic and Megatron will be joining me.''

''You can't be serious?'' His old friend asked and Optimus just looked at him and Sentinel conceded with a sigh. ''Fine.''

''But do we really have the time for any more delays?'' Arcee asked, touching the handle of her new blades. ''I mean, you are the one with the weapon that can defeat the Quintessons.''

''And I'll use it when the time is right. First, we must gather all of Cybertron's forces to protect it. We don't have much time, and this debriefing is only taking up more and more very much needed time to finish all of this.''

''You're not going to Vector Sigma now, are you?'' First Aid asked, not at all liking how the Prime was talking about precious time and wasting it on things that could wait.

''No, what I'm off to do is far more important.'' Was all she got as an answer and the look he sent everyone after that said he won't take any more interruptions. ''I want First Aid to take up the role of Chief Medical Officer in Iacon's streets. Make sure no one offlines.'' He looked back to the Autobot scientists again. ''Oh, and one more thing. Don't tinker with anything on the Supremes. Leave them as they are. I'll deal with them when I come.''

''Is that all?'' Megatron asked, getting ready to start this fight already.

''Yeah. So keep sharp and keep focused, fight with honor and protect your comrades so they will protect you. Till All Are One.''

''Till All Are One!''

00000

It didn't take long to place everyone else at their stations and when they separated and entered the fight, the Quintessons couldn't react quickly enough. Ratchet made sure that Ultra Magnus and the bots on his ship made it to Iacon without problems and then started blowing up the squids like it was a sport, very much like how the Decepticons approached the situation. Omega had transformed and his weaponry was enough to keep most of the ships away from Iacon. Of course, a few still broke lose, but Iacon's streets and skies will be protected by the rest of the Autobots and two Decepticons, meaning Soundwave (and his cassettes) and Lockdown, who had boarded his ship and helped out in the air.

Roller made it safely to Trypticon, which was now a giant warships, surprising Autobots, Decepticons and Quintessons alike. There, his little partner had made contact with his mate Leader-1, who had been running Trypticon as both the Decepticon's castle and as the Autobot prison _for_ Decepticons. Cyclonus had almost crashed because of the revelation that Roller had a mate of his own, one that was just as fond of Optimus as the orange and white Minicon was. Then he got even more surprised when Roller and Leader-1 explained the truce to the imprisoned Decepticosna and told them that their sentences as POWs might end that day if they helped chase off their ancient enemy. Optimus had found it hilarious when Roller told him that Cyclonus's processor almost glitched fully when the two Minocon leaders had shooed him out to lead the Decepticons into battle. Apparently, he was still too shocked by the fact Roller had a mate.

Trypticon sure did even out the odds in numbers of ships and fire power, but not quite enough. It was faster than the big Quintessonian ships, but the Qvotus were making a big problem for the gigantic vessel. Not to mention the Scraplets they were still releasing on Cybertronian forces. However, involving the rather small number of Minicons that had been residing on Cybertron into all of this had a chain reaction Optimus was hoping for. Leader-1's creators on Luna 2 heard that their only creation and his mate were getting involved in freeing their planet and commed Optimus, pouting about not being informed earlier. They understood that they were supposed to be a secret weapon after Optimus explained the situation and they quickly started preparing their two tribes of Minicons that lived on the moon that was believed to be barren of life, but due to living underground for four million stellar cycles, the exits they used to use were sealed closed and they couldn't get out even if they wanted to. Optimus had reassured them that they only have to wait for a while and that he will take care of everything. They would get their cue when to attack, however, for now they were responsible for contacting the inhabitants of the other five moons orbiting Cybertron. Thankfully, they had never stopped communications with them, so reaching them won't be a problem and they promised Optimus that they will do their best to get the others to help.

Strika had left their side in order to take over command of the fleet, giving out orders from the Victory and every now and then they would receive her victorious cries over their comms. They still didn't have enough force to push the Quintessons back, and should this battle draw out into a full out war, there was a big chance that Cybertron would become Quintessonian property. However, for now, they were doing just fine. They had home field advantage as both Autobots and Decepticons called on their allies and the Neutrals. Optimus, for a brief moment, wondered in the reinforcements he had called will come, and if they did, if they will be on time. They were supposed to meet them at the location he will be leading Megatron and the Dinobots to right now. He couldn't take more with them and the Dinobots were already stretching it. Wreck-gar was to protect the streets of Iacon along with the Constructicons and Soundwave, but Mixmaster and Scrapper weren't there to fight. No, they were there to build shelter, strengthen insecure still in use buildings and make sure no Quintesson makes it into the infirmary. Wreck-gar was to be a distraction, as that was what he did best, and Soundwave was proving himself to be quite able to hold back entire battalions of Quintessonian soldiers with his cassettes, without any sidelong help. Megatron was very proud of him, Optimus could tell even without their bond. He wondered briefly if the warlord was going to adopt him as his own.

Ultra Magnus ahd reported that they were still gathering all that Optimus had demanded, it being a bit of a problem due to a whole part of Iacon being turned into a battlefield, thus blocking off roads and a few places were blown up, so the underground tunnels were either too dangerous or have collapsed in on themselves. Still, both mechs and remains of the Omega Sentinels were on their way, he only feared that they won't arrive before Optimus does. The young Prime assured him that they won't be coming in for at least another joor, so there should be time to get everything ready.

When he had been reading over the reports of the offlined mecha that had been involved with the Supremes, he had been reminded of the Wreckers, and elite group made to counter the Decepticon Justice Division, black ops in a sense, taking up any assignment that no one else wanted or dared to even think about fulfilling. They are a special task force, generally composed of the best and the toughest die-hard fighters around. Its ranks include a veritable who's-who of the obscure; mechs you've never heard much about, mostly because the Wreckers are often called in to fight when the odds of success are slim. Bluntly, they tend to burn through their roster at a frightening rate. The Wreckers are a close-knit group that's more concerned with bursting in, guns-blazing, and doing their Thing, than they are concerned with, say, strategy. Despite their disregard for planning and the bodycount their team mounts, the Wreckers are amazingly successful. If it's a lost cause, the Wreckers will be there, winning the day with sheer guts and determination. After asking the Magnus if they still had a crew roaster and if there was a possibility of getting them into the fight, Wheeljack revealed another shocking fact. He had been a part of the infamous unit and he would call in all his surviving comrades, ready to board any ship and destroy the squids. He warned there were not many left, but they should be enough to help quite a bit.

Though perhaps it wasn't a good idea to have the Wreckers on the same battlefield as the DJD.

Speaking of which, the Division was making scary progress, lead by the Phase Sixers, taking down Quintesson ship after Quintesson ship. The mere sight of them seemed to have unsettled the Quintessons and Optimus had never been more sure about a decision he had made. Megatron had been quite proud of his little pet enforcers, taking great pleasure in seeing those enemy ships fall one by one or to witness their enemies trying to flee the wrath of the DJD. They truly were one of the most terrifying units in the Universe. Their ship, however, had been attacked by a swarm of strange insects that Optimus was repulsed to see were more of Quintus's creations. Smething tells him that he might just end up murdering Quintessa if she used all of Quintus's new life projects to make these monsters of war.

''Optimus, we're almost at the coordinates you have told me to fly to.'' Alpha Supreme's voice interrupted the Last Prime's disapproving thoughts of his brother's creation.

''ETA?''

''5.36 breems, give or take a few kliks depending on if we meet any resistance along the way.'' The shipformer dutifully informed his mentorbot and Optimus sighed. It was almost time.

''Alpha, I want you to listen to Artemis and be careful out there, okay? I want us to meet after this battle.'' The Prime told his friend, unwilling to lose him as well. It would be almost too much, especially with his new fears of Megatron leaving him.

''I want us to meet as well, Optimus, so the same must go for you.'' Optimus smiled and rubbed a gentle hand over the strong metal as he stared out of one of the windows, the one Alpha Trion so often stood at, and contemplated if he'll ever be able to just float around the Universe like he had started this journey after the battle, not the war was over. It had been fun. Sure, he had had something he had to do, but it was all very easygoing. Even when he gathered all of his crew, it only became more interesting and he had honestly never wanted it to end.

But, in a way, he was glad that it had ended. After all, he had finally made peace with both Sentinel and Elita One/Blackarachnia and he had seen his brother one last time, and that's not even mentioning the new bonds that were being made left and right. Hot Rod and Cyclonus were almost as cute as Starscream and First Aid were, and that was saying something. Not only was he happy about the new relationship,s but also the old ones that had been repaired. Like how Blurr was now so much happier than any other time Optimus had seen him. The Intelligence Agent had revealed to him that Shockwave had insisted that they bond as soon as they drive the squids off and the speedster was more than excited. And he had seen what just a single call to ones lover could do to a mech, namely the always stiff and stoic Ultra Magnus. The clones were happy, too, slowly developing their own personalities. Dirge and Thrust were a little behind their brothers, but then again they weren't directly stored in Starscream's spark like the others had been, if Optimus got it right. They were his trine mates's Amica Enduras and they had somehow gotten into his spark with his their own sparks when they had offlined and only the Airlord of Vos remained.

But the best thing that came out of the ending of that almost happy little trip was that he and Megatron were together now. Had Alpha Trion died before he had bonded to Megatron, he was sure he would have fallen over the edge and would have followed his siblings into the Well of Allsparks. The warlord had grounded him, had clung to him like not even his brothers and sister had managed to when he had went off to face Unicron on his own. It gave him some hope that they might at least be on speaking terms when the Decepticon terminated their bond.

''I know that I might be in the best position to guess at what you are planing, my Lord Optimus, but after seeing everything you've so unexpectedly done, I am not sure anymore.'' His Second's voice brought him out of his musings and Optimus realized they were soon going to embark. He could already see the ruins of the once proud city and protector, dormant and abandoned. It pulled at his spark, especially since he had personally been involved in the creation of this magnificent feat of engineering.

''And what do you think I will do, Artemis my friend?'' He asked, not taking his optics off of the dark city, once silver and shining, called Acroplex to hide his true nature. Optimus had named him Metroplex, to represent the shinning future he had hoped for as a young little Prime, the youngest of his brethren and untouched by Unicron's darkness. This great creation had once upon a time protected Cybertron, had served as one of their cities they had been making, and then the First Generation lived there, keeping the gigantic mech company. He had given his life in order to save them from starvation and win them the War for Freedom. Now, he was barren, a forgotten piece of a long ago forgotten past and an age thought to have ended even longer before that.

''I know the story behind this great city. I do not know how it ends, nor was I told how it began... But I have a good idea as to who it is and what you will do. But, my Lord Optimus, do we have the resources to revive an entire city? The supplies of our contained life-giving and healing energies is very much limited, and I fear you won't have enough, not for him and not for the fleet you have promised.''

''Artemis, what had Quintus told you about all new lifeforms before he created you, or the birth of the First Generation?'' Optimus asked in a hushed voice, remembering how excited he had been when he had thought up this idea, how it had exhilarated him when he saw first signs of life.

''That whatever they wanted to create, my Lords Primes had to consult with my Lord Quintus or my Lady Solus, most often with them both.'' The Quintesson answered. ''Why?''

Optimus finally cast a glance at his companion. ''Life can't be given so easily, Artemis. Not life like we are. It took Primus and his eternal connection to Unicron to create us, his thirteen children, and it had caused him to go into a dormant state he will never be able to wake up from. It took me his blessing, some of his energy, and all of my life force to create the Allspark and as such become the source of life for all Cybertronians. How do you think we gave life to the Titans such as Metroplex, Metrotitan, Metrobase, Necrotitan, Caminus, Vigilem and Chela?''

Artemis thought for a long moment and Alpha Supreme informed them that they have another breem and five kliks before they were above Acroplex (that's what the amps said and he didn't know the truth behind the cityformer). Finally, the Quintesson gave up. ''I don't have the slightest clue.''

Optimus reached into his subspace and took out two relics, one a strange spiral-shaped metal wired object protecting a big blue gem in the middle, the other a green energon-like round crystal, roughly the same size as the Chimera Stone but with a sharper surface, if that made any sense. Artemis couldn't take his optics away from the orb, from the source of his and his brothers's and sisters's lives as the First 100 Quintessons.

''The Emberstone.'' He breathed, not believing his optics. He had thought he would never again lay optics on his creator's precious artifact. His Lord Quintus had sent it back to Cybertron while Artemis was still relatively young, after he had created the First 100 and the next generation, a little before he had passed that knowledge down to Quintessa and Artemis both. He had to pause and wonder if his Lord Quintus had known what Quintessa would do and why he would teach her if he did? If he had known and still taught her, then he must have also believed that Artemis will live long enough to use that knowledge as well, but rather to better his people than to make them dependent of him like his sister had done.

Optimus nodded. ''Do you know what the other relic is?'' Artemis nodded, merely peeking at the floating object he was now aware was radiating power and immense amount of energy. ''In the beginning, when we first came up with the idea of creating more sentient lifeforms, we had no means of doing it like we now have. The closest things to having such power were these two items, the Emberstone that Quintus used and the Origin Matrix that wouldn't respond to anyone unless they had my permission to use it.''

''Arriving in ten kliks.'' Alpha Supreme announced.

Optimus looked at his SIC. ''Artemis, when the Origin Matrix releases the power it has stored, in combination with the Emberstone and things created by Solus's Forge, it creates life. It has sparks, a bit like yours, fragile in comparison to the sparks created by Primus, but Micronus had used his Chimera Stone to give them more power so they can live and move. When the Allspark started giving life to other sparks, their weak sparks became true sparks. In time, when their creators left, the Titnas left as well. They're all offline now, Artemis, and only Metroplex is still in one piece. They were created to protect Cybertron and the life that develops on it. It is time Metroplex returns to fulfill this sacred duty given to him by me and my brothers.''

''Are you the one who had created Metroplex, my lord Optimus?'' The Quintesson asked as Megatron walked into the room, the Dinobots right behind him, Grimlock grumbling about Megatron being taller than him, even if it was only by an inch or so. Although the warlord pretended to find it annoying, Optimus could feel over their bond that he was enjoying this a bit too much.

''Yes, I did.'' The Last Prime said as he turned to his mate and the prehistoric looking bots behind him. ''We've arrived. I want you to jump out after I land and no sooner. I mean it!'' The last remark was sent to his mate, who only feigned surprise. Hearing no protests, Optimus returned the Emberstone into his subspace, the others only now noticing it, and turned one last time to his Second in Command. ''Stay safe and contact Iacon, tell them that we have arrived and that we will be meeting up with them in some 30 or so breems.'' And with that, Optimus walked over to the exiting hatch and jumped out, never bothering to take out his jetpack.

Megatron screamed and made a move to jump out after his mate, knowing just how dangerous such stunts were for the most experienced flier and especially at the speeds Optimus was falling at, but Artemis kept him back, reminding him that Optimus had asked that they go after him only after he landed and that he knew what he was doing. I hope, he thought to himself as the tyrant uneasily stepped back enough so that he doesn't immediately jump out if he takes a single pedestep forward.

Outside, Optimus was hurtling towards Cybertron's surface, never activating his wings nor trying to stop his descent. Instead, he only opened his spark chamber, reached out for a dormant bond that had terminated along with the bonds he had shared with his brothers, a long time ago, and called out to a spark long since offlined due to lack of energon. The Origin Matrix, that could _turn_ any other energy _into_ energon, glowed brightly as Optimus tapped into its power, preparing to reanimate an entire city.

Seeing that he's still a bit off course from the cityformer's spark chamber, Optimus got out his wings, but still didn't activate his thrusters. With the flight stabilizers out, Optimus could barrel roll in the air and change course of his free fall. And he got them out just in time, as he saw attack drones heading his way. Unfortunately for them, they had come from his right, so Optimus didn't need to move much in order to deal with them. He only had to concentrate of the Transformation Cog in order to get out the Requiem Blaster and then it was just shooting them away. When another squadron came from the left, Optimus felt more than heard Alpha Supreme fire on them, protecting him. The heat of the attacks would have been enough to melt through them wholly, if they weren't hit directly. It cleared the air a bit, allowing Optimus to continue his descent down towards Cybertron's surface and the mech he was hoping to revive.

As the speed at which he traveled increased, Optimus let his battle mask slide into place and rolled down the Lenses that had once upon a time been a part of Alchemist's optic sensors and allowed them to protect his optics from the wind and now he could see just in what state the cityformer was. Optimus was more than revealed to see that Metroplex was going to be just fine when he wakes up, that what looked like fallen buildings that were actually his main components were not in fact _those_ buildings, but rather the ones his old friend had allowed to be added to accommodate more citizens. The biggest problem he might face would be all the dust that had settled, burying half of the city. It was just unfortunate that he had chosen here, in this wasteland, far from civilization and in the open where the wind could have seriously damaged him, to offline. However, none of the damage either his last battles or time have made wasn't something that either the Forge or the Cyber Caliber couldn't fix. However, it would have to be after he revived his spark.

As he was only about a thousand mechanometers from the ground, Optimus outstretched the servo without the Requiem Blaster on it, finger wide open as they made as if to push the relic. The Prime arranged his body so that he was falling straight like an arrow, head first and pedes held together, his other servo tight against his body. When he was a hundred mechanometers above the ground, the spark chamber opened to accept the one who had had a hand in creating the massive being, welcoming Optimus in this state as much as Metroplex had always welcomed him when fully aware and functional. The Origin Matrix glowed brighter at his intent, reacting to his wishes and to the presence of a Prime, welcoming his touch as much as the city did his presence. Fluctuations of energy surrounding him, covering his body and lighting him up. To anyone from the ground, he would look like a falling star, but from Alpha Supreme's and his passengers's point of view, he looked like an angel falling from heaven, sent on a mission of utmost importance. Megatron could do nothing more but stare at the enticing visage his mate made, not quite believing his optics.

The collision shook both the ground and the atmosphere. The energy of the Origin Matrix acted like a shield, a damn powerful one, around Optimus so he wouldn't get hurt, so no damage was done, and the quaking wasn't from the mere impact, because Optimus never quite touched the surface. He had opened the Well of Allspards and had reached in for the spark he wanted to drag back into the world of the online. The Origin Matrix's power was guided by his will, seeping into the cityformer's energon and oil lines, filling them like liquid energon should. No tube was left empty, no component was not coming out of that dead state. Systems were coming back online as the spark returned from the Well, answering the call that was so insistent and so familiar it could not ignore it, not even if it meant giving up the eternal peace it was supposed to have now. The collision made all the dust fly up and off of the city parameters, leaving the offlined form of one of the Titans in clear sight of both the bots on Alpha Supreme and anyone in the orbit.

There was a long stretch of silence while the newly refined _raw_ energon ran through the entirety of the systems.

Then a loud groan was heard before the city began to shake.

00000

Blurr felt immense satisfaction when another Quintesson ship was left in his wake, destroyed by its own malfunctioning flight engines. It was far too easy to get from one ship to another, especially since there were so many vessels and battle ships in this fleet, not mentioning the drones or the friendly Cybertronian ships of both Decepticon and Autobot origins.

It had been a surprise when Blurr had first faced the sheer numbers of the Decepticon fleet and their soldiers and he realized that the propaganda videos of battlefields were either lying about the outcomes of the offlined mechs, or the Decepticons just knew how to ''play possum'' as the Earthling's saying goes. The more disturbing fact was that they had never realized just how many enemies they had to fight, even as a well organized army. And put into consideration just how strong the Decepticons were, how much stronger they were from Autobot civilians, and one would wonder how they had lasted even a solar cycle of war against these mechs and femmes.

As he ran and jumped from ship to ship, vessel to attack drone, the Intelligence Agent could not stop himself from acknowledging that the Decepticons truly were made for this, for fighting and destroying their enemies, for protecting Cybertron and their smaller brethren. They lived for moments such as these, when they could power up their weapons fully, when they could rain destruction onto those who oppose them and for a moment, Blurr wondered if they had been going easy on them. It could be because Decepticons could be rather lousy medics and their knowledge of some forms of structure building were very limited. Perhaps it was parts of their coding that stopped them from downright obliterating every Autobot from existence. There were to many options and Blurr would honestly want nothing more than to believe in the possibility that the Cons wanted a united Cybertron with all its people living in harmony to be true.

He could see it already, actually. Streets occupied by the ground warframes as they walked along their smaller counterparts and being almost painfully aware of where they step or how much strength they use, acting like the civilians were fragile as glass. Civilians working alongside their protectors, teaching them how to build certain things or training them in fields of science or medicine they are interested in. Seekers flying overhead, helping the enforcers in the ground keep peace. The military ground would surely change, what with the constant fire in the shooting range coming both from civilian guns and from warframe weapons that are integrated into their very frames, apart of them as much as their optics were. He could see himself and Shockwave walking the streets of that Cybertron, happy and undisturbed in their little moments of intimacy or affection on the streets. He actually thought that that would be the biggest change, even bigger than the mixed Council of warframes and civilianframes, grounders and fliers alike. The mixed couples, the increase of born mecha, the greater awareness that, despite their differences, they were equals.

And he saw this Cybertron flourishing only under Optimus Prime's watchful, caring gaze.

He knew that no one else would be able to keep such a fragile state of peace and understanding. Optimus proved to be the only one able to keep absolute peace among these two factions and he did it in the strangest ways that always left others guessing. You could rarely tell what he was planning until it was staring you in the face, and sometimes not even then. He wanted a world that would be fair to all, so he had made an example of how that world might look like, accepting the ''hybrids'' Jetfire and Jetstorm under his, at first, metaphorical wing and accepting them like none have before that moment, giving Blurr the choice of whether he will continue loving a Decepticon and giving him a home if he so wished, offering friendship and safety, saving Slipstream from the edge of insanity and giving her everything she could need to develop into a fine, intelligent femme who was as fierce in her fighting as she was in her sharp words, allowing Alpha Supreme to try and develop past the coding that he was created with, showing him friendship and something other than war and pointless killing and letting Artemis show himself, his true self, and not just judging him on what his species had done, giving the Quintesson someone who would be willing to listen and talk to him about his creator.

After they had met up with the others, Optimus never allowed fights to break out. No matter who it was that started the conflicts, Optimus could just glare at them and they would stop, or at least pause long enough for him to leave the room. The Decepticons seemed to respect him for that, although he had driven some fear into them with the reaction to the continued teasing about his status as an Autobot. The situation after his encounter with the DJD was such that no one would dare suggest he was anything but a ''neutral'', although Optimus said he was Cybertronian. Blurr occasionally got the impression his captain wanted to say something else, but he couldn't fathom what.

Another explosion to his left returned Blurr to reality and he changed his course as a gleeful, purple and red Decepticon front liner roared in victory and battle lust as he charged at another vessel. The speedster saw another bigger ship approaching to attack him and several other Decepticons from the behind and made haste to reach it and enter it. He had become and expert at this in the last two decacycles, so he was in far faster than even the Quintessons watching their flank could notice him in the ship. He made quick work of the wires he recognized to be important for the targeting systems and ripped them out in such a way that damaged the rest of the components so that even new parts wouldn't be able to fix the mess. He heard the insulted snarls of the warframes whose afts he had just save as they realized that the missile that had missed them by half a mile had been meant for them and he did the same type of damage to the motor systems of the engines, rendering the ship unable to change its path. He got out of the ship just as it crashed into the one that had arrived across from it in order to corner the Decepticons.

The warframes had easily flown out of the collision course and the purple and red front liner that Blurr had seen fly by came and retrieved him from the resulting explosion, as Blurr did not have enough things to jump off of in order to escape by himself.

::You're a fierce little thing!::

Blurr knew that it was the best he would get as a thank you from a warbuild that did not know him and smiled at the bigger mech. ::I do try. Would you mind dropping me off at that ship?:: He pointed at one of the bigger warships, ready to take it apart. It had been causing more casualties than any other and Blurr realized that short of him and Skywarp, no one would be able to take it down. Although Tryticon, that had turned out to be a ship which still confused the poor Intelligence Agent, was giving it enough grief that if they continued a bit longer, it might just take the Quints down. However, Trypticon, too, was taking damage and they needed the ship/prison in order to win.

::You sure about that, speedy?::

::First-of-all, the-name-is-not-Speedy- and-I-am-sure-no-bot-goes-by-that-name. My-name-is-Blurr-and-I-have-done-this-enough-times-to-know-when-I-am-in-over-my-helm-and-now-is-not-it! As-such-I-demand-that-you-take-me-to-that-ship-and-let-me-do-my-fragging-job-or-should-I-put-you-through-to-my-captain?::

The big mech just blinked at him and Blurr realized he had talked even faster than he normally did in his pissed off state. ::Uh, what?::

::Just get me to that ship!:: He snapped.

::If you say so, speedy.:: Blurr sighed in annoyance and grumbled as the front liner easily moved towards the big ship, shooting a few attack drones. Unfortunately, another ship almost as big as the one engaged with Trypticon suddenly rounded on them and both Blurr and the front liner cursed up a storm as the blasters got ready to fire and the Agent was ready to comm Shockwave and apologize for not making it through-

Down below, coming from the coordinates Blurr remembered Optimus had said he would be going to, a big shock wave sprung up and into the atmosphere, the residual energy of the collision Optimus had made with the cityformer traveling at enormous speeds and hitting all ships and mechs in the atmosphere and beyond. The ship that had been ready to nail them dead on was pushed so far up it fired on one of its own ship and if Blurr was not mistaking, it might just be the flagship. The wave of energy also pushed the warship he had been hoping to deal with on the side, opening its underbelly to the Trypticons cannons, which were placed all over the its surface.

The mech who carried him only watched in awe as the shock wave further disturbed their enemies while their allies somehow held on, disturbed but not overly so. ::What was that?:: The fear and awe sent through the glyphs had Blurr grinning as he looked down below them, where he saw the ruins of Acroplex.

::That is my captain, Optimus Prime, at work.::

The red optics of the front liner locked on him for a few seconds, then ::Where else do you want to go...?::

::Blurr.::

The other nodded and flew over to the other warship, the one that had tried to blast them, without comment.

It was obvious he didn't want to face the wrath of a mech who could do _that_.

00000

Megatron could do nothing more but stare in awe as he heard transformations seams bigger than anything else he had heard of or seen shifting, moving, _transforming_! He knew that the others were no better off than him, even Artemis, who seemed the least surprised by what his mate could do, was floored by the sight before them.

He could tell this was not a simple weapon like Fortress Maximus is. The way this thing was transforming indicated he was something like the Omega Sentinels... But how was that possible? The Supremes were hard enough to create as it is, so how could someone build even bigger mechs!? How could there be sparks big enough and strong enough to sustain such big bodies?! And surely not the whole of the ancient city was a mech?

''What are you waiting for!?'' Artemis finally broke him out of his stupor as the Quintesson glared and yelled at him and the Dinobots, who although didn't know what they were seeing were still as awed as the rest of them. ''My Lord Optimus told you to follow him as soon as he lands!''

And it was with that that the warlord realized that they weren't the only ones who had seen this spectacle, nor were they the only ones still observing it. The Quintessons had seen what had happened and were charging at the waking cityformer at breakneck speeds and there was the possibility his little lover won't be able to hold them all off on his own. Megatron growled and only spared the Dinobots a snap to get going before he grabbed Grimlock and jumped out. The Dinobot Leader trashed until Megatron threatened to drop him, which caused the gold and gray mech to stop flailing. A look up showed that Swoop was doing the same with Snarl, although the smaller mech was having some difficulties.

The Decepticon Lord let go of Grimlock as soon as they were close enough to the ground before he turned to the incoming Quintessons. He could already see his mate fighting savagely in comparison to all of their fights back on Earth and Megatron felt his interface array heating up. There was just something so sexy about Optimus as he was right now. The gray mech shuddered before getting his helm back into the fight. He had to focus.

He flew over to where Optimus was, cutting down three Quintessons that had somehow made it past his lover and blasting two that were trying to attack his mate from behind with his Fusion Cannon. He was vaguely aware of Swoop joining in and he heard Grimlcok roaring at the poor bastards that got close enough for him and Snarl to deal with. Those fire attacks could be fearsome, despite being such primitive weapons.

''We won't be able to hold this line for long.'' Megatron told Optimus as soon as they were back to back, easily working around each other in incapacitating their enemies. ''Especially since you've just sent Alpha Supreme away.''

Optimus spared him a glance over his shoulder before slicing down another Quintesson with his axe. ''I need the skies over Iacon clear. We'll get enough backup here in a matter of brems.'' A lucky shot hit the Primes servo, not damaging him but making him drop his weapon. ''Slag it!''

''With pleasure.'' The gray and red mech purred as he fired at the squid who had dared to endanger his bonded. He laughed in victory as he actually hit two Quints, enjoying this a bit too much for his little mate's liking, obviously. Then again, he was a Decepticon and a warframe. This is where he felt most at home at. ''Will we last those breems, though?''

The Last Prime grinned at him in a rather scary way. ''Leave that to me!'' He took out a strange orb that barely resembled the Allspark, but not quite. He held it over their helms and the thing started glowing, sending out bolts of electricity and hitting their enemies head on. Megatron watched as the ancient artifact he knew nothing about took down mech by mech, however, Optimus didn't keep it out long. ''Dang it!'' His mate cursed as what looked like older Quintessons joined in the fight, rushing towards the city and past them. Optimus took off after them and Megatron was quick to follow, not wanting his little lover out of his sight. Optimus had a bad habit of disappearing at the most random moments, causing panic. They did not need that now.

Optimus somehow managed to get in front of their enemies, stopping and took out a strange spear, griping it tightly in both hands and getting into a fighting position. The Quintessons attacked head on, but Optimus seemed perfectly capable of holding off half of them without much trouble, so Megatron flew closer to the ground, where he proceeded in helping the Dinobots to deal with the ones that flew around the Prime. He had to give it to the primitive mechs, though, they were good in a fight. Grimlcok would take three to four squids at a time and crush them together with his strong arms, if not use his fire sword to burn them before they even landed. Snarl looked all too happy to clobber his enemies with his own fiery weapon. If he wasn't using it, however, he transformed into his best mode and ran them over like they were toys. And Swoop did the earth creatures he resembled justice, being a feral hunter that easily took down its prey.

They weren't happy with Megatron ''stealing their fun'' but they didn't try to tell him to leave either, especially not when a Quintesson ship made it past the atmosphere, heading at full speed towards them.

Seeing this had Optimus hurtling past them and to the slowly waking and raising cityformer beneath their pedes. He landed and promptly took out a giant golden hammer that put the Magnus Hammer to shame (Megatron suddenly felt like he knew why the Magnus Hammer didn't fit his Prime) and that strange sword he had used against Tarn, the one with the many transformation seams. He stabbed the sword into the plating underneath him before hefting the impressive hammer into the air, over his head with a graceful ease for one so small holding something so big.

And then Optimus brought it down, causing a big surge of light from both the sword and the hammer.

00000

Hot Rod had always liked his name.

It showed his personality quite well, his punk attitude and the flames on his chest. It was a name that best represented him and although he had not been happy with it at first, he had accepted and grown to like it. He was a bit hotheaded at times and he could be rash, but he tried to be a good Cadet, a good Autobot, as much as he can. He had entered the Elite Guard training with the sole purpose of fighting Decepticons, believing the propaganda videos that they were no match for Autobot military simply because they didn't have such order and training in their own ranks.

He had been naive enough to tell Kup, his drill sargent and mentor, that once and it resulted in the name.

His ideals changed slightly the day he was introduced to the VR simulated combat test against Megatron.

Because he had jumped on top of a grenade during one of their final training exercises when it had landed near his mentor, he had impressed the higher ups and they booted hims straight into the Autobot Academy, on his way to become a part of the Elite Guard, going a whole decade before his peers. In the Academy he continued to dazzle command, mastering servo-to-servo combat and a wide arrange of weaponry, as well as designing the energy bow that became his signature weapon. Some even began to refer to him as the "chosen one" after seeing him in action, and it had the negative effect of making him slightly arrogant.

It earned him many scoffs and disappointed looks from Kup. The old, dark green mech never liked him in his first two years at the Academy, always muttering how the Elite Guard was all too happy to forget some good bot that had impressed them before, when a new, flashier version came. It had irritated the youngster back then and he had snapped at the Minor that he didn't like being found inferior to some long dead mech. Judging by the look on Kup's face, it took all of his patience and willpower not to slap him then and there.

Kup had insisted that he be there when Hot Rod entered this final test before he went on to the official Elite Guard training.

That was two hundred years after the incident on Archa Seven and the old records were taken down from the official score board, but not from the VR system. It was that day that the name Optimus became the inspiration of all young Cadets, despite his status as a washout as many like to say, even back then. Kup had simply walked up to the computer right beside the simulator and had inputted his code in and the scores were shown. He precoded to tell the new cadets what had ''killed'' the ones who had come before them, what had scored them plenty points and what had impressed both their peers and superiors. The dark green mech had started from the very bottom of the list, going name by name up to the top, all of the cadets having been trained by him at one point or another before that final test.

As he listened, Hot Rod became more and more interested. Each person they climbed up was a bit more skilled, a shade more resourceful, a bit better, slightly smarter. It made him curious what the mech who held first place had been like to earn that place.

''Now, younglings,'' Kup had told them when they had gotten to the top five on the list. One had been a femme from before the war, at the beginnings of the Academy, another was a still alive but retired soldier who had made it to the rank Prime before he was discharged without the honors due to surrendering a colony in exchange for his battalions's lives. The third was another femme by the name Windblade, if Hot Rod still remembered well and the fourth, who held second place at the time, was a promising mech by the name Springer, a triple-changer. ''This list is only active on this very screen and if any of you say a word about who let you see it to anyone, I will personally introduce you to the new meaning of training till you drop.'' He had sounded so dead serious that Hot Rod remembered almost shuddering along with the other cadets there. ''I have taught many generations how to survive on the battlefield, and I have seen many promising mechs and femmes in my days. As you can see, some of their names have recently been displayed right here. However, there is one I could never compare to others, simply because he was too unique for me to compare him anyone to. He was discharged from the Academy, never to join the Elite Guard. Luckily for him, Magnus thought that maybe the bot he once had such high hopes for still had some potential, and gave him the rank of Prime and his own ship... a rusted out junker, though it may be.''

Hot Rod had watched as the drill sargent had then scrolled that one last place up higher on the score boards and he looked at the young cadet shown there. They were shown the actual score only after they had all finished their tests, Hot Rod not scoring higher than Windblade (that time) and it had so annoyed him. His fellow cadets started mocking him, for he had been so arrogant that he would easily do better than anyone else, and while that may have been true among this group, he was still only fourth.

And then Kup had shown them all what he had asked them to beat: the numbers, the mech, the strategy and the video of the fight itself. Hot Rod had watched with an intensity and a fascination unlike ever before, taking in every skillful move the red and blue bot on the screen made as he fought the simulation of the slagmacker himself. He had actually thought that the bot would win, but at the last moment, ''Megatron'' thrust one of his swords through the cadet's spark chamber, ''killing'' him instantly. The result had left them floored and the cadets had all murmured among themselves how they could or couldn't have done better if they had known what to expect.

He had surprised Kup by pointing out that they had been briefed on what was effective and what would get them slagged just moments before the test had started, and as such even had an advantage over all the previous generations. They had been dismissed a few breems later, but Hot Rod could not take the red and blue now Prime out of his CPU, so he had snuck into the room holding the simulator and replayed Optimus's fight over and over, tried doing what he had done, but Hot Rod still couldn't beat his own score, let alone Optimus's. That was how Kup found him at midnight, telling him that he had been expecting him here.

''In some ways, ya remind me of 'im,'' The old bot had said as he watched the recording replay over and over again. ''You've got skill and smarts, but ya don't use them right. You allowed these fools to make an arrogant fool out o' ya, kid. You started thinkin' that there is nothin' that can beat ya, and that's the fastest way ta die. Cause there is always someone better out there somewhere, and if you become so overconfident ya don't keep your guard up, ya'll get slagged before the first serious motion of a weapon is made. The Cons ain't gonna wait for ya to gather your thoughts. Optimus, here,'' He pointed to the paused recording of Optimus using his foam to blind Megatron while he had his pedes tied up with his grapplers. ''He knows there are Cons somewhere out there. He's interested in history, so he read and he learned. He knows there are things out there that can kill him, so he is always careful. Ya saw how close he had come ta defeating old bucket-head in this simulation. Even after this almost victory and earning himself both first place and the attention of the Magnus himself, Optimus never changed. He never became arrogant. And that's what I wanted to show ya. To teach ya. No matter how good you are or how skilled you become, ya have to show respect. To your opponent, to your commander and to your mentor, because one will try to kill you, the other will send you to be killed and the third will train you not ta be killed.''

It had been a big optic-opener to him and Hot Rod had changed almost overnight. He never got overconfident again, he never acted as if some class was boring because he already knew how to do it, he never again sneered at less experienced and skilled bots that were placed as his team leader in drills. It caused him to advance even faster and he soon became the youngest Autobot to be assigned his own command. Many felt he was on the fast-track to becoming Magnus. They started calling him Rodimus, ''the chosen one'' and it disturbed him. Especially when they placed him at the top of the charts for the Megatron simulation, even though he was so far below Optimus's own score. When he had openly complained about it, it caused many others to notice Optimus and his incredible record. The red and blue bot became the ideal of every cadet's dreams of a future skill level, if not quite career, 'cause, after all, he was so good that the Magnus didn't want to kick him out entirely.

Hot Rod graduated as the pride of the Academy, yes, but he left behind him many cadets aware of the mech who should have been that very same Academy's hero.

He was glad that he had seen that recording of Optimus's VR test.

It got him Kup becoming nicer to him, warming up to him, even.

It got him to become a better mech.

It got him his team.

It got him his new friends now.

It got him Cyclonus, something he will eternally be grateful for.

And it got him the needed skill to defend his home from these blasted squids!

''Ironhide, to your left!'' He yelled to the now silver mech as two Quintessons advanced on him. He quickly fired an arrow at one, allowing his teammate to play with his new cannons by destroying the other with said new weapons. ''Keep your guard up!''

''I _love_ these!'' Was all the now cannon-toting mech said before he returned to using said cannons, blasting a Quint that got too close to Brawn carrying a wounded femme to the medics.

Hot Rod rolled his optics before returning his attention to the fight, only to yelp when he came faceplate to ugly face with one of the Qvotus. And despite his initial reaction, he wasn't all that afraid of this poor creature. Now after he had stood in a roomful of DJD members, including all of the Phase Sixers. Taking a page from Optimus's book, he steeled himself and jumped back a bit, creating enough distance between them to swiftly fire two arrows, one to the thing's head and the other through its abdomen. It screeched in pant before it exploded from the energy arrows and Hot Rod had to jump behind the remains of a toppled high floor of one of the business buildings in lower Iacon in order to avoid its insides. ''Ugh! That was disgusting!''

''You okay there, Hot Rod?'' Hot Shot shouted from across the street, where he was using his fire attack to fight off a band of Quintessons, quite effectively.

''Grossed out and in dire need of a solvent shower, but undamaged.'' The other mech laughed as he he scotched off more of their enemies, back to back with another bot from the Elite Guard. ''I so wish I had never been witness to that. Maybe it's not a good idea to explode Qvotus.''

He heard Bumblebee snicker over their now shared comm line. ::Note to self: big ugly aliens explode in an ugly way.::

::You mechs are so gross and immature.:: First aid sent from where she was patching up soldiers. ::Just don't get killed.::

::Aw! Is someone grumpy because her Con boyfriend isn't around?:: Brawn, who had just arrived with the injured mech he had been carrying to the medics, teased the femme, only to yelp in pain as a wrench was thrown at his helm and hit him square on. ::Slag it, femme! Why'd you trow a wrench at me!?::

Bumblebee inhaled in fear. ::She's spent too much time with Ratchet that she's become the Hatchet 2!::

The femme snorted. ::Just don't forget who'll be dealing with your injuries when you come here, soldier.::

::Children, now is not the time to be arguing.:: Arcee admonished from where she, herself, was taking out quite a few Quintessons, her new swords being put to good use. She and Soundwave made a spectacular team, his cassettes easily maneuvering around and between them and the pink femme and the dark blue, red visored mech easily took out any enemies that came the other's way from their blind spot. ::You can discuss this at another time.::

::I concur.:: Soundwave sent in his emotionless voice, easily dispatching two approaching Quintessons with his own weaponry, revealing that he had the sonic equivalent of Lugnut's weapons. ::I am aware that I am superior to you Autobots, but even I would think that you can focus for more than a few kliks.::

::Why you!:: Hot Shot and Brawn both sent together, but Hot Rod interrupted them.

::He's right! You're acting like sparklings and I won't have it!::

::Sorry, Hot Rod.:: His team said as one over the comm and Hot Rod sighed in exasperation. He shot down two squids as they made a move to charge at him, then hit a Quintesson that had gotten behind him and was getting ready to stab him. He scowled when it made a scratch on his bow and he kicked the fallen Quintesson for good measure before looking back at the battle before him.

::It doesn't matter now. Optimus needs us to keep Iacon clear of Quintessons, so lets get to work people!:: He told them as he shot an arrow up ahead and hit a couple of Quintessons on hovering platforms. ''Till All Are One!''

''Till All Are One!'' All the Autobots and the few Decepticons in Iacon screamed together, making the first true united Cybertronian front in over four million stellar cycles.

00000

By the time the light died down, there were no traces of sand, dust or any other manifestations that showed that this city has been abandoned since the middle of the War for Peace were all gone.

Instead, a huge mech was rising to his giant pedes, scanning the Cybertronians and Quintessons there with his giant optics, rather uncaring with the fact there was a battle raging on. The Quintessons all paused and watched in horror as one of their greatest enemies from the War for Peace stood before them. Grimlock, Snarl and Swoop killed their current opponent before gazing up at the gigantic mech. Megatron barely held in a shudder when he thought of the possibility of this creature fighting for the Autobots in the Great War, knowing it would have ended their rebellion before it could reach even that state to be called as such.

'' _Who calls on Metroplex?_ '' He boomed in a voice even louder and deeper than the Omega Sentinels had and it sent torrents of fear through all present. A small red, blue and silver form flies up to the big transformer's face and the cityformer looks at the mech.

'' _I do._ ''

Megatron started panicking slightly as he realized it was his mate, but Optimus wasn't fazed by the bigger mech's presence. In fact, it was as if the cityformer was startled by his appearance and not at all concerned for their est of the anymore. The big optics zeroed in on the last Prime, the one that had had a servo in creating him. Metroplex raised his servo and Optimus landed without hesitation.

'' _Then Metroplex answers the call of the Last Prime._ '' He boomed at Optimus and the Prime smiled brilliantly, before it turned into a serious expression as the other two artifacts came back to him, quickly stuffing both the Cyber Caliber and the Origin Matrix into his subspace.

''Alpha Trion told me you sacrificed yourself in order to ensure that the rest of the army had enough energon to survive the war and beyond. That was a very long time ago, Metroplex.'' Optimus said as the cityformer nodded, although he got a bit worried at the amount of time that had passed. Optimus placed his hand on the giant digit that had moved so it could touch him lightly, as if the big mech feared he was an illusion despite standing in his hand. ''We won that war, because of you. I'm afraid that I will have to request from you to help us win this war, as well.''

''War?'' He asked the Prime, seemingly not understanding. He looked at the Cybertronians below them and then at the Quintessons, who were talking over their comms with the flag ship, trying to get through a transmission, but one of the things that Leader-1's creators were in charge of was to leave the Quints on Cybertron stranded when it comes to communications. Unfortunately for the would-be invaders, Minicons were really good at cutting all links off, leaving them blind and deaf as to what was happening outside of their own field of vision.

''The old war was won, but then a civil war broke out, weakening our defenses.'' Optimus explained to his old friend. ''I'm not sure when you offlined, but only Alpha Trion survived the wars of my brothers. And he died not long ago.'' His intakes hitched at thinking of the void still in him, even if he could ignore it now. The emptiness will never go away, but he will learn to live with it again. Besides, Cybertron needed him, both the planet itself and its people. ''I'm the Last one now. The Quintessons returned some decacycles ago and are trying to enslave us again, or maybe even downright destroy us. It has united us after more than four million stellar cycles, but we're much to weak as we are now to fight them off without disastrous losses and consequences. We need your help. Your artillery can reach outside our lower atmosphere and any units on the ground can be taken care of by you alone. We need you... I need you.''

''I will gladly fight for you, Optimus Prime.'' The biggest mech present told the currently smallest bot. Megatron vented a sigh of relief as he heard that, but that relief was short as the Quintesson forces they had been fighting and ignoring for the past few breems suddenly launched into an attack, firing at the city. The Decepticon warlord looked up just as Optimus did and they both saw that the Quintessons outside Cybertron's atmosphere must have seen Metroplex and were sending three warships at the cityformer, ready to deactivate him. As they fired at him, Metroplex simply closed his palm, protecting Optimus and easily taking the fire, barely even reacting when the rather weak (in comparison to his own) energy weapons hit his heavy, tick armor. Optimus stumbled when a shot hit the servo holding him, shaking it but not damaging Metroplex more than an Earth mosquito would a human. He heard the telltale sound of Metroplex's battle protocols coming on, despite this being a very small threat. Then again, he was holding Optimus in his palm, making it the cityformer's priority to protect him. ''Quintessons, desist!'' The big transformer said in a commanding and threatening tone of voice as his weapons systems came online.

More weapons fired at them, including what must have been the ''top dog'' weapons from the warships as a response and Optimus cursed under his breath when he felt Megatron's panic. He was reassured moments later that the warlord was fine, other than being worried to deactivation for Optimus. The Prime was quick to inform him that he was perfectly safe just as panels on Metroplex's armor slid apart, revealing some _very_ big and _very_ impressive weapons. The amount of shots on Metroplex increased, probably from the panic of him firing on them, before Metroplex did indeed fire on the Quintessons...

Megatron and the Dinobots could only watch in fascinated horror as a single shot from the cityformer wiped out all of the Quintessons they had been fighting in seconds. Another shot took down two of the warships. The third was damaged from being so close to the other two when they were hit, the ship hurtling towards them and landing in the rust of the Sea of Rust some hundered mechanometers away from them. Metroplex didn't even blink when he fired another shot at the already burning ship, destroying it with an impressive explosion, before retracting his weapons inward.

He then looked down at the perfectly fine Optimus standing in his palm before speaking. ''Are you alright?''

''I am fine, Metroplex. Well done.'' Optimus said as he looked down at where the Quintessons had landed. He frowned, feeling bad at the loss of life, but he knew that the Quintessons had gotten themselves into this quite willingly and that, had it not been for Metroplex, they would have surely killed him and his companions. Still... that was quite a few lives needlessly wasted, but the squids were looking towards Univesre domination and Optimus couldn't allow that to happen. He looked back up at the red optics of the silver cityformer, the one warframe type Cybertronian the Council will never be able to kick off of Cybertron. ''Metroplex, I need you to head to Iacon, right now, and get there as fast as you can.''

''Optimus?'' The other asked worriedly.

''I'll be fine, I'll even be waiting for you there. I need you to draw the Quintesson planet-side fire to yourself, because we have a fleet we can't launch without Iacon skies being clear.'' He tried to explain, but Metroplex just shook his head.

''No. I do not wish to leave your side.'' He said as he brought Optimus closer to his faceplate and Optimus caressed the plating of his nasal right. ''You left once. I do not want to see you leave again.''

''Metroplex,'' Optimus started, but the youngest Prime didn't know how to finish that sentence. He didn't know how to reassure Metroplex, because he might rally never return this time. He was going to return the Allspark to its rightful place, but at what a cost? Perhaps Primus will deem his creations unworthy of his youngest child? What would Optimus do, then? What would Megatron think? How would Metroplex feel, completely alone, with no one that knows how and why he was created? He would be turned into a weapon, no doubt. Megatron might be captured again and this time really become a slave. So Optimus had to hope that Primus won't turn selfish when Optimus enters the Well to return his old spark to where it was supposed to be. ''I promise to do my best not to leave again, but I _need_ to do something. Our freedom is at stake here, Metroplex! You hadn't offlined only for you to come back to become a slave! I won't have it!''

''But what of your own freedom?'' Metroplex all but yelled the question and Optimus knew that Megatron, Grimlock and the other Dinobots were ready to try and fight Metroplex for Optimus back. ''Have you not given enough?! Are you going to give yourself up again only for others to make the same mistakes over and over again!?''

''Metroplex-''

''You have not seen! Even at war with the Quintessons as we were, bots tried to make other bots submit to them! Made ranks that dishonored all that the Primes stood for! They tried to kill Alpha Trion! As soon as Prima died, they tried killing the others, too! I gave my life to protect your race, but they tried to make me a weapon, to extinguish my spark and sue my husk as a weapon that would vaporize anyone who stepped foot on Cybertron! I am a protector, not a murderer! I am your warrior, not their soldier. You made a sacrifice more sacred than anything the other Primes have ever done, and they never respected that. I will not allow you to make that sacrifice again, at the cost of your own freedom, for a species that won't be able to appreciate it.''

Optimus stared at the big optics of the cityformer, seeing the fear and anger in them and knowing that what he was going to answer this with won't be of any help. ''This is a war only I can fight, Metroplex. I could have the whole Universe on my side, but that would be useless and you know it. I was born to fight for this, to maybe die for this, I was brought back for this. Primus only wanted for me to return to guide them. I am not sure if he will return me to either my brethren or if he will return me to the state I have been in up until I came back. The War for Freedom...'' Optimus chuckled bitterly. ''What an appropriate name for a conflict older than any generation, for a war as old as time itself may be. After all, freedom isn't only the freedom making your own choices, but also a freedom from the so called Fates and Destinies. Is anything we do our choice, or did Primus make it so we will make that choice no matter what happens? Tell me, Metroplex, do we even have the ability to want to chose something else?''

Metroplex remained quiet, watching one of his creators and builders sadly.

Optimus smiled sadly. ''I would like to believe so. I was the one who decided to make them, Metroplex. They are my responsibility, and if they cost me my life, then so be it. I want them to be able to fight for what they believe in, that was what I had always wanted, even though I hate violence. My brothers realized I have this wish and they taught them how to do it, how to be sentient beings, how to be individuals. If they didn't make those mistakes, they would be preprogrammed drones and I don't want that for them. That's what the Quintessons want to make of them. That's why we must fight this one last war, Metroplex. We must end the physical conflicts in this war for freedom that has started even with me and my brothers. I have fought against it by returning my Sire to my Carrier, instead of simply sending him off into a black hole or a dimension of his own, or even to just float around the Universe. That's when it began, and the fighting never ended. It's about time there is no more violence in this war, and we are the ones that will have to make that happen, with one last battle, Metroplex. Will you fight by my side, or stay here?''

''I will always fight for you, Optimus Prime. My creator.'' Metroplex said after a moment and Optimus beamed up at him.

00000

''You're a little too gleeful for a mere Autobot, medic.'' Strika said in lieu of allowing herself to show just how much that last hit that had landed her in the Orion's med bay actually hurt. It was admittedly her own fault. After all, it was her who wanted to join in on the fighting. ''The way you viciously attack the squids with your partner.''

And indeed, it was true. No normal Autobot would have ordered such vicious attacks on any attacking army, but Ratchet and Omega Supreme had been in every major attack of the warships and they had taken down quite a number of the big, well-weaponed Quintesson military vessels. She didn't know what spurred them no to attack so aggressively, but she was impressed none the less. It would seem that it wasn't only warframes that could be brutal in a fight and she liked that.

''You're not the only one angry with them.'' The red and white ambulance answered, grumbling as he checked the circuitry that had almost been fried from the heat of the attack. He was just lucky that the attack hadn't damaged her flight systems, because other than Optimus's jetpack building, he had never seen a fliers systems and would have had no idea of what to do. Strika had reassure him that had it been her flight modules, she would have long ago hailed for Hook, Megatron's best field medic and doctor, or Scalpel, their resident emergency medic, but equally as qualified to work on warframes as Hook was. Of course, she was a bit surprised when he told her he knew Hook, but only heard of Scalpel. Apparently, the two doctors go way back, before the war, and met in a bar fight where they had to repair both warframes and civilians. Hook took care of his own kind while Ratchet took care of his, but they had worked well together and could easily and rather gladly give recommendation of each other to patients they didn't know quite how to treat.

''Oh?'' Strika raised an optic ridge as must as she could.

''Optimus suffered enough from the supposed death of Blackarachnia, twice, and Prowl's deactivation back on Earth. Primal's offlining had him shaken still and whatever he had seen when he had retrieved that strange sword and key, had him unstable in the emotional segment. If he wasn't messed up by then, Alpha Trion's death should have pushed him over the edge quite spectacularly. Instead, he kept together, barely, and I admire him for it, but still.''

Strika sobered at the name of her friend and nodded. ''The old glitch's death sure did upset him and I admit that I had thought him gone with how he was acting. He must be quite a bit stronger than anyone else I have ever met if he could take all that in stride and not go mad from grief.'' The General of Destruction paused to hiss as another wire was fixed, a rather sensitive one. ''Especially after what Trion told me, about how close they were.''

'' _He_ actually _told_ you something that _isn't_ critic?'' The medic said with honest shock and curiosity.

Strika nodded, ignoring the glare that earned her as it jostled her back plating in the process. ''You know how we have history, Trion and me?'' Ratchet nodded uncertainly. ''Well, it's all the way back, from the first, real War for Freedom. I took a hit, a bad one, and barely managed to escape the squids. He found me and instead of just leaving me there, he somehow managed to haul me all the way back into the Great Archives. From the battlefield. Which was outside the old energon crystal fields.''

The medic's jaw dropped and Strika laughed good-naturally.

''Yeah, my exact reaction when I woke up in them. You know that we warframes were much more wanted as slaves than you civilians, so they didn't bother with the Archives in their searches, or so he said. He kept me there for an orn or so, until I got all my strength back and had very little trouble keeping up with my bruised pride. I asked him how he knew how warframes acted so well, he said he was the third of twelve brothers and a sister and six of those brothers were warframes, even if all thirteen of them were warriors. Said I acted like them, even if I did remind him of his sister as well. Told me quite a few interesting stories about them. An interesting family, that one. In return, I told him about myself. We became friends, trusted each other. After I was as strong as I had been before the hit, he gave me a cube of military grade energon and lead me through the tunnels beneath Iacon, which are slagging _dark_ , and lead me somewhere were I could take off and fly off to my squadron. I never saw him again, although we did talk. I have no idea how he had managed to get my comm frequency, then again, he can get anything he wants.''

''So it's because you're his closest friend that he talks to you straight?''

Strika snorted. ''He doesn't, and no. He told me because he asked me to look after him.''

Ratchet actually stopped working and looked up at Strika, surprised. ''Optimus?''

The femme grumbled. ''Apparently, he found the mechling when he was looking at the empty Well, many stellar cycles after the Allspark was launched, and the little bot crawled his way out. I didn't want to believe him, but he showed me footage.'' The orange and brown femme said as she played the video by inserting a cable from her digit into one of the data ports on a nearby screen. Ratchet watched, ensnared by the strange sight and still somehow not surprised. He could easily see that the sparkling that Alpha Trion picked up was Optimus and he was given more proof when the mech's name was called and the sparkling reacted to it. What shocked him was that Optimus could speak so young, only breems out of the Well. ''Trion raised him until he entered the Elite Guard training system, after which they still saw each other, if less frequently. Long story short, they're more brothers than anything else. I even overheard the cyber ninjas discussing the possibility that this was Optimus's second life and that they had been related in his first. I don't really care, though, because Alpha Trion begged me to look after him, mere ten joors before he was offlined. It's one of the reasons I didn't want him anywhere near the DJD, which he had handled better than I could have done myself.''

Ratchet smiled. ''Yeah, that's Optimus for you. However, if this is true and they really had been brothers... How had Optimus survived this new separation?''

''A mystery to us all, medic.'' She said darkly, optics far off and clouded over, deep in thought. ''A mystery to us all.''

00000

Ultra Magnus was not a happy mech right now.

They were very much behind schedule and he didn't know how much longer it will be before Optimus arrives to revive the Omega Sentinels. Sigma Supreme was meant to only ward off any Quintesson that get anywhere near the shipyard, but he had had to send his friend off to help Alpha Supreme when five warships made it through and came straight for Iacon.

Quite a few ships had actually survived the war with the Decepticons, especially the Battle for Iacon. Their mentorbots were either dead with them or in no condition to fight, but the revival of the Supremes might just liven them up a bit. Some of the survivals that had not taken it so bad when the bond was severed were Big Bang Prime (who had had to stay put for his team long enough for them to reach an hospital, after which he never set foot on the battlefield ever again, but he had not tried to drown himself in high grade, either, despite his mourning of Beta Supreme), Impactor and his Wreckers (who had barely survived the destruction of Zeta Supreme, despite what most Decepticons believe to be Blackout's most glorious victory as it had been assumed that only he had survived), Hot Spot Major (who had to be dragged off of his friend and ship, Eta Supreme, when he was destroyed by Blackout before the ship exploded; he never again regarded either his crew or the rest of the Autobots as his people, as his friends, as his comrades, simply turning to the high grade as he mourned his friend, to this day), Railspike Major (who barely survived when Starscream destroyed Theta Supreme) and Override Prime (the femme left the army as soon as she returned from the place Kappa Supreme had offlined), not counting himself, Ratchet and now Optimus Prime. Silverbolt Major, Wedge Major, Scattershot Major and Longrack Major all offlined with their partners, leaving him with the responsibility of finding new mentorbots for Delta Supreme, Iota Supreme, Epsilon Supreme and Gamma Supreme, once they were revived.

Then came the problem of finding parts of the shipformers that had been destroyed so badly that they couldn't rebuild them during the war. Beta Supreme was okay, and so were Zeta Supreme (who had been rebuilt but never again entered battle), Eta Supreme and Iota Supreme had to be rebuilt, but became repair ships or cargo ships over the orns as they could no longer support weaponry. Kappa Supreme only had one turbo blaster survive, which Override had refused to let be built into any other ship and had instead been in a museum up until now. Theta Supreme had a few of his own parts in the museum, the rest had been taken by the Decepticons and will still be going with Railspike after Optimus finished his thing. Epsilon Supreme literally only had one scrap of plating left and would be bonding to a femme who had the recommendation of Blackarachnia, Chromia Minor. Delta Supreme, surprisingly enough, still had one communications counsel left after the bombing and raiding of his remains. Gamma Supreme had been known as the ''ghost ship'' because he had escaped many Decepticon confrontations alive when he was thought dead for sure, until his luck ran out and in the Battle for Iacon where Megatron blew him up. Considering the damage he should have been dealt that day, Gamma still somehow ended up with both his engines still functional, despite the rest of him being completely gone.

The thought of having to decide new bots who would become their mentors had Ultra Magnus feeling sick. He knew that he would never be fully okay with Sigma getting a new mentorbot, even if it would give him something else to live for. Still, while Epsilon Supreme now had the determined new mentor in Chromia Minor, who was he going to assign the others? Blackarachnia was supposed to judge his choices before they were approved and they had to do this before Optimus comes. Wheeljack and Perceptor had already narrowed the list down to who was suitable frequency wise, so they now just had to chose mechs or femmes with the suitable background history and personality.

He was already tempted to give Gamma Supreme to Smokescreen Prime. He may be a bit reckless but he had an equally lucky streak as Gamma had had, so they should be able to keep each other alive with their good luck. Blackarachnia approved of him, anyway, and he was a nice enough mechling and that was the only thing that really bothered him. Sure, he would grow up and mature, but he will have to mature fast enough to be a stable grounding stone to a war machine sparkling like an Omega Sentinel is. Then again, most mechlings matured best when they were given responsibility, so one was done.

Ultra Magnus had thought about giving Arcee her original position, but with another Omega Sentinel instead of Omega Supreme, but that seemed cruel. He had seen that the pink femme has taken a liking to Ratchet, and vice versa, so he wasn't going to separate them. He had wanted to give one of the Supremes to Slipstream and had even offered it to her, but the Decepticon femme had refused on the grounds of it taking her away from her own trine leader's side, which was equal to willful descent into madness among seekers, so she was out as well. However, one of his problems was solved when Kup Minor volunteered for the position, stating he wanted to help Optimus as much as he could. Blackarachnia said he would be a good addition to the battlefield, and considering his records, Ultra Magnus assigned him to be the mentor bot of Iota Supreme, who had offlined early in the war so he could use a resourceful captain. It was a good thing that his old spark was still beating strong and was compatible to Iota's. Besides, they would compliment each other in color, too.

That only left Delta Supreme and still, like, a thousand or so possible mentorbots. The Magnus wasn't sure who to give the responsibility of this traumatized bot to. He had been shot down and damaged beyond repair, especially his engines and his T-Cog, resulting in him being turned into an artillery platform during the Asphalt Wars of Velocitron, but was soon destroyed in a bombing raid led by Blackout. When he comes back, he will need someone who was coolheaded and who would know how to deal with someone so emotional, so he guessed a femme would be best suited for this place. Then he looked at a femme called Moonracer and considered her. She seemed fine, records wise, but he hadn't ever met her. Kup hadn't taught her and Blackarachnia said she couldn't vouch for her because that was the first time she had heard of the other femme.

However, Chromia could and she said that her sister was an Intelligence Agent, hated violence and stuck with on-planet business. Deciding to check this, Ultra had contacted Shockwave, who informed him that he had indeed met the femme and that she seemed sweet, if at times scary if you messed with her crew of infiltrators and spies. He warned that she goes everywhere with her small crew, her being one of the rare femme Primes. He also warned them that her second in command, Crosshairs, was a bit arrogant, a lot of loud, obnoxious attitude that has trouble with teamwork and authority, if it is not Moonracer's, and that the rest of her, rather green, crew were all a bit like that. He had called the femme in and indeed she came with her team, all a little damaged from the fighting outside, but fine and still watching each other's backs. She, like Chromia, was Arcee's build and just like her sister had described her, loyal to her crew. Firestar, who was the only bot of a different color than green on her team, was also her sister and she was her third in command, while Hound was a big mech, bigger than Bulkhead but still clearly Autobot build and Drift was one of Yoketron's students, one of the top ten in skill. They acted like a dysfunctional family and that's what got them their new friend, Delta Supreme, because they reminded Ultra Magnus a bit too much of Optimus Prime and his crew and team.

Ultra Magnus had sighed at finishing this task before Optimus had returned and he had foolishly thought that he would get some mundane task before the Prime came to revive the Supremes, but that's when the Wreckers came in, loud and as obnoxious as ever. He felt an oncoming helmache coming in, knowing that he and the special task force never really got along. They were temperamental and didn't like authority figures if it wasn't Impactor Major, and they _especially_ didn't like _him_. It had mostly to do with the fact that they had once had to act as his bodyguards and they never wanted to spend another second longer around him than they absolutely had to. They didn't like his rules and they called him a buzz-kill, whatever that was supposed to mean.

The Wreckers were quick to greet Wheeljack, their fellow member, before they all saluted Impactor. While the Major was the captain of their ship, it was actually Leadfoot, a big, but short, red mech that was their leader. Along Topspin (his SIC), Roadbuster (his TIC), Whirl, Seaspray, Springer, Bluestreak and Punch (who acted as their greatest spy and had infiltrated the Decepticons so deep he had become one of the first lieutenants, Counterpunch), they had brought about many a Decepticon defeats all on their own, giving the Autobots hope that the warframes could indeed be defeated by civilianframes. When a situation was desperate, that was when you call in the Wreckers and watch the magic happen as the battleground lit up from their explosions.

There's two things you're never to say before them:

''It's a lost cause'' and It's so dull and/or boring here'' as both were begging for them to reply, respectively:

''What do you **mean** , it's a lost cause? Of **course** it's a lost cause. That's why we're **here!** '' or ''Never a dull moment when you're a Wrecker.'' which would lead to:

a) explosions

b) parties

c) broken bars and untold property damage or

d) all of the above.

Now, Ultra didn't feel up to telling Optimus Prime why he had failed in keeping the skies over Iacon clear because there was no Iacon over which the skies are to be kept clear. He would much rather that they be kept under control but that can never last so he begged Primus that Optimus arrives here, fast.

As if answering his prayers, the commotion outside turned from firings of guns and fighting to exclamations of surprise as Optimus, along with Megatron and the Dinobots landed in the middle of the fight, scattering the Quintessons as they immediately attacked the enemies of Cybertron. Brief chatter over the comms had Alpha Supreme descending to the shipyard, where Artemis had already prepared the containers of Allspark and Omega Lock energy containers and was soon helping Optimus and Megatron to take them out. However, the reappearance of the Last Prime concentrated the fire on them and Ultra Magnus and the wreckers, minus Wheeljack and Impactor, rushed out to help them. No new nor old mentorbot was to leave the shipyard until it was on the newly revived and fixed Omega Sentinels. They didn't need the hassle of going through all those files again!

00000

Quintessa didn't even allow her son to open his mouth to give her an excuse as she slapped him hard across the faceplate, sending him to the floor.

The young Prince winced in pain as he instinctively brought a servo up to his face to check for damage and to massage the pain away, but he froze in doing so when his mother kicked him in the abdominal plating. He did his best to surpass any whimpers that wanted to escape, as he knew she hated it if he acted weak. He was her only heir and weakness was not an option, be it physical or emotional. It is something he had always been taught as the only way to be a good leader, but now he had the image of the Last Prime imprinted in his CPU, strong but caring, his pain not a weakness but something that made him fight even more so that no one has to experience the same pain he had went through by losing his last family member.

The Queen of Quintessons didn't like the fact that her son was not paying attention to his, in her sick mind, rightful punishment and kicked him in the helm even harder than she had to the tanks. A gasp of pain and surprise escaped his careful control and Quintessa sneered at her pathetic, but only offspring. ''How dare you return before me without the battalion I had so graciously given you?'' She kicked him again, knocking the air out of his vents and he couldn't hold back the grunt either. Her sneer only deepens and Thamast hurried to explain himself.

''Forgive this humble one, my Queen, but they had three powerful warships and a lot more crew than we have been expecting. Some of them warframes.''

The Queen nudged her son with the point of her pede as her tentacles raised in annoyance. ''So three warships can defeat out hundred best vessels of battle? Or is it your command that was lacking that lost us valuable resources?''

''It was the legendary, infamous Omega Sentinels, my great Queen!'' The younger Quintesson tried not to beg as he explained himself, not daring to look her in the optics. When she was like this, she wasn't his carrier, his mother. No, she was the Quintesson Queen and he was a lowly servant who had failed a this duty and she wasn't going to be merciful. The thought of mercy once again had him thinking of the red and blue Prime and Thamast couldn't help but wonder if this was his own punishment for killing a Prime and trying to kill another, and the Thirteenth Prime, no less!

''Preposterous! They have offlined during the Cybertronians Great War between the Autobots and the Decepticons.'' The first Quintesson femme said, angry that her foolish son would even try to trick her. ''Were you fighting ghosts, _son_?''

Thamast winced at the venom in her words. ''I might as well have been, mother.'' If she was calling him son, she was more pissed that he had failed as her son and not as the Prince.

''And what is that supposed to mean, my son?'' There was a clear warning in her voice and Thamast gulped.

''I found and fought with Alpha Trion, the Master Archivist and third of the Primes.''

''WHAT?!'' Quintessa all but screamed as she picked her son off of the floor, searching both for wounds and truth. There was plenty of both to find and she demanded to know what had happened and just what they were up against. Thamast, for whatever reason, didn't feel proud when she praised him for killing the old mech and instead felt sick just thinking about it.

Even stranger, he found he couldn't tell his mother about Optimus Prime, their true threat and enemy. There was something about the mech as he had held Thamast while he cried that made him seem right to Thamast. As the young Prince exited his mother's quarters and went to his own, he couldn't help but think of that gentle and understanding and above all forgiving look in those royal blue optics as Optimus told him he didn't blame Thamast for the deaths of his brothers, not even Alpha Trion's.

 _''I killed one of your brothers as well. Why don't you hate me?''_ He had asked Optimus and his answer had startled him.

 _''Hatred has tainted my own brethren, my own species... If there is anything I will ever hate, it is hatred itself. It is a useless emotion that only separates love, destroys worlds and harmony of the Universe.''_

His mother hated Quintus for his knowledge and Cybertron for being Quintus's home, so she was tainted by that horrible feeling as well. Just how much of what she had done, to other species as well as their own, out of hatred.

 _''Why can you forgive me? I killed your brother.''_ His own questions to the Prime haunted him now and he didn't even know if it was a good thing or not.

 _''Because you did it out of anger... I lost two siblings to anger.''_ Did her mother include her anger into her hatred as well? Is that why it must be Cybertron they conquered? Because she was angry at being less intelligent or knowledgeable than her creator? Quintus was a demigod, for Primus's sake!

Thamast froze as he realized what he had just thought, realizing that his conversation with an actual Prime had changed him more than he had thought.

 _''Tell her that Justice is a sharp sword, that the Hunter never loses its pray and that the Era of Primes is far from over.''_

Oh, he was going to tell her alright, but only after he was sure that Optimus was wining.

Because there was no way he was going to let this nonsense continue.

00000

''Optimus Prime!'' Ultra Magnus roared over the bolts of lightning he was using to attack the Quintessons, keeping them at bay. ''Get inside and get those ships up and online!''

The red and blue bot didn't have to be told twice. He took out one of those strange orbs he seemed to always have on him and dashed into Alpha Supremes cargo bay, coming out with all of the containers floating behind him as he ran back into the shipyard and towards the still offlined Supremes. What most didn't know was that the Chimera Stone could be used in many, very different ways, such as a shield ''generator'' or in a similar way like Ratchet's electromagnets and lift things that would be beyond his strength or number to carry. That wasn't including its ability to install new energy levels into a being or object, one of the main functions his brother had used to help them in their fight against Unicron. Micronus might have been small, the first Minicon, but he packed more energy than almost any other three Primes combined, Optimus the only exception. The only difference between himself and Micronus was that the energy he himself had couldn't be used so easily. It was a gift from Primus to Optimus and Optimus alone, so it kind of didn't want to leave the vessel that Optimus's body made for it.

It wasn't as easy to reach the shipyard as he would have liked it to be. Despite their best efforts, the Autobot forces had still let quite a lot of Quintessons to still rage around Iacon's streets, and more still were breaking atmosphere, despite the involvement of the entire Decepticon army on their side. It was slow and only a few ships every half a joor or so, but enough ships had made it planet-side for it to be a true problem. The bigger worry was that they had made sure to release quite a number of Qvotus once they breached atmosphere, allowing the bests to glide down and attack the unsuspecting Autobots with ease. It was a massacre and if they didn't get the help they needed soon, they'll be in a serious problem of repopulating the civilians.

Optimus was brought out of his musings when he felt the ground beneath his pedes vibrating and he grinned as Metroplex came into view, puzzling the Autobots and few Decepticons on Cybertron enough for the Quints to land a few good shots at them before they, too, stopped to stare at the silver city. As soon as he was even half in range, Metroplex fired on the Quintessons, taking out half of the forces that were using hover platforms and the attack drones. The mechs and femmes on the streets broke out into cheers as Metroplex turned his attention to the newly arriving doomsday level warship and took it out with three different cannons firing at the same time. At least the ship and its heavy artillery was taken down, but its soldiers and crew made it out to attack Iacon anyway.

And then Fortress Maximus came online, its cannon trained on the smaller warships and taking them out, the ships thus falling on some of the charging soldiers before crashing on an unfortunate building. Optimus grinned at the cheers and battle cries that resulted in before turning to run to his new station. He was met by Impactor and Chromia, the blue femme taking three of the containers while Impactor saluted him. A few others came and took the rest of the containers from the force field he had created, allowing him as such to return the Chimer Stone to its place.

''Do we have everything I had asked for?'' He asked of Perceptor, who had come up to him with Blackarachnia, both carrying a list of both parts and new mentorbots for the Omega Sentinels. They nodded and handed him the lists, which he easily briefed with sweeping optics, practice of long hours spent reading and he nodded in approval before turning to the ships and bits of ships he had requested. Cocking his helm to the side in a considering manner, Optimus decided that he should first fix the ships and so he instructed the bots who had rushed to help to separate the containers before he took the gold, big hammer that was the Forge of Solus Prime out of his subspace. The big tool caused as much awe in these bots as it had in him and his brothers. After all, with only this one hammer and the occasional help of the Creation Lathe. He would have thought of using the Lathe as well, but only Solus could use it properly because of her unique processing architecture. Or at least that's how he understood it. Solus on a creating rampage was as understandable as Bulkhead was about space bridge schematics.

''What _is_ that?'' Blackarachnia was the only one who dared to ask, but Optimus wasn't all that surprised. She had almost as little tact as Sentinel did. So Optimus only smiled and told her the truth, or as much of it as he dared at the moment.

''Something that will fix the Supremes.''

''What, are you just going to whack them?'' A Wrecker Optimus recognized as Whirl asked, voice tick with sarcasm, which earned him a withering glare from the Prime's Amica Endura and a scowl from Wheeljack, as the inventor had taken quite a liking to the Prime. He could be funny when it was needed, didn't blindly follow but instead lead and was incredibly brave. Just for that, he would have been made a Wrecker in the old days.

''Actually, yes.'' THAT got him dropped jaws and incredulous stares as Optimus made his way towards the first damaged beyond any hope of repair Omega Sentinel, who just so happened to be Kappa Supreme. He ignored the warning growl Override Prime gave him and instead lifted the Forge over his helm and brought it down as he thought of the schematics he could see right behind it, among the other information in her files. Reading through them speedily, Optimus imagined Kappa Supreme how the only femme Omega Sentimel had been in her prime and fittest state and brought the Forge down, hard, on the turbo blaster. As every other time the artifacts of the old fixed something or the energies from said artifacts were at work, a big light show occurred, obscuring the view from prying optics, even Optimus's, but he only brought down the Lenses and watched as circuitry and weapons and plating were rebuilt, whole systems remade and the once turbo blaster become partially invisible as the ship was brought back from the scrapyard to what it once had been, the dark gray and red plating standing proudly before the observers.

''What the?'' Override Prime couldn't finish her sentence as she walked closer to her friend and gently placed a servo over her plating on the stabilizers that parked her. She looked all over the ship, not even believing her touch sensors and then looked back at the red and blue Prime, who had motioned for one of those containers hat he insisted had the Allspar's energy in them to be brought to him. However, no one was in the right state of mind to do anything, so Optimus walked over to the containers and took out two of the containers from the pile before hurrying back to where Override was standing.

He shoved the two containers into her unsuspecting servos before explaining where and how she was to apply them and that she should make sure to be ready for the bond to snap into place, since it will be abrupt and might be a bit too shocking, however the femme doubted anything will ever be as shocking as she had just witnessed.

How wrong she was.

After all, Optimus was only getting started.

He walked over to the next beyond repair Supreme, which happened to be Gamma Supreme, but the once yellow shipformer was the closest to one of the other entrances and no one noticed the squid waiting there, having seen what Optimus had done, to assassinate the Prime and become his race's hero. He waited for the moment Optimus was close enough before lunging at the Prime, ready to slit his throat as the other bots yelled for him to watch out and the security guards made hast to try and protect him, but they were too far.

Everything seemed to slow down as the sword the Quintesson had pointed at Optimus came closer and closer to the red and blue bot, said mech too shocked to react even as he instinctively reached for the power of the Chimer Stone and he couldn't help but wonder if his EM field will thicken fast enough to stop the attack because it was too late to move. He heard the clatter of the containers as Override tried to run to him, being the closest to him at the moment, as he recognized the sound of the pedesteps of the other bots as they tried to save him, as he realized he will never really get a chance to say goodbye to Megatron. He felt the panic Megatron sent over the bond as he sensed his bonded was in danger and he faintly heard his voice shouting over the roar of battle as he demanded what was going on in the hanger.

But it was all too late as Optimus registered the other being invading his EM field and he could only send through love and regret to Megatron before he did his best to close the connection, because he didn't want Megatron to feel his pain and forever be haunted by it if he survived the spark burnout of a deactivated mate and he only closed his optics and prepared himself for joining his brothers and sister and Carrier in this final failure when he was needed the most, prepared for the pain of death he had not felt the last time as he had actually only grown numb before fading from existence-

A slash was heard through the air and a pained squeak was accompanied by the sound of a metal blade ripping into half flesh half metal of the Quintesson's skin. Then the blast of a cannon was heard and the world stopped spinning for a few seconds as Optimus reset his optics, only to be met with the sight of the almost assassin hanging limply from a silver sword that reminded Optimus an awful lot of his bonded's own swords, only instead of a red jewel at the hilt, this sword had a purple one. Optimus followed the sword, which had impaled the Quintesson mid launch and straight through his hip joints, to the hand that held it and up the servo to the helm of the owner of the sword, only to be struck by a strange sense of him somehow knowing this mech even as he had never seen him before. His spark just pulled at him, declared him familiar even as he ahd never seen the bot in person, but he had seen him in his bonded's memories-

''You must keep yourself safe, little one, for it is you who we are following. Don't leave us leaderless in this dark hour of need.'' The voice grumbled at him and Optimus met two, amused red optics in a familiar but different faceplate, surrounded by purple faceguards as his blue optics widened in realization just as Megatron barged into the hangar.


	32. Chapter 32

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

''Optimus!'' Megatron yelled as soon as he felt the bond being closed and he rushed towards the shipyard's hangar, where he knew his foolish little bonded was. It didn't matter that he had to bat away seven Quitnessons and a Qvotus in his path, all he could think about was his mate, who was in danger and Megatron wasn't there to save him, to protect him and guard him like a good mate should and he made his way through his enemies like a battering ram.

He made it just in time to see Optimus standing there, safe and sound, while a big and imposing mech held a dead Quintesson on their sword, the squid's weapon on the floor and Optimus holding his big hammer in one hand while the other had reached for that strange orb on his utility belt. At the sound of his name, the smaller mech immediately broke the gaze of the other Decepticon as he searched for his bonded's gaze and the bond reopened and Megatron sent all of his relief through it, not able to believe how fast he got worked up and how easily just taking Optimus into his servos could calm him down. The Prime was shaking slightly, something he only allowed himself to do because Megatron guarded him from the optics of the other bots in the hangar, obviously having been just as scared as Megatron.

''You aught to keep him safer, brother, as he is a special one. From a piece of scrap to a repaired Omega Sentinel in one swing of a hammer!'' The voice of the mech who had saved Optimus said and added a whistle at the end and the warlord stiffened as he recognized the speaker even before he looked up and saw a face identical to his own, except the shade of the optics was just a tad bit darker and his faceguards were purple instead of gray like Megatron's.

''Megazarak?!''

The Decepticon's old warlord smirked as he tossed aside the Quitnesson he had just killed as if it was a piece of trash he didn't want staining his swords, never taking his optics off of his younger split-spark twin as he held his precious lover to himself. The slightly elder brother (older only because his spark was placed into a protoform first) looked just like Megatron frame wise, but their coloration was slightly different. The gray of his plating was slightly darker, accented by murky, night-sky blue and purple instead of Megatron's black and red. It covered his faceguards, his shoulders and parts of his legs. In place of Megatron's Fusion Cannon, Megazarak had a slightly smaller, fully black plasma cannon. One would wonder how two who have been one spark at one point had different enough coding that their weapons were not the same, but then again they developed separately as soon as they entered their protoforms. His Decepticon insignia stood in the same place as Megatron's did, just as proudly declaring that Megazarak was ready to give his life and his spark for the Cause, despite everything that has happened.

''What's up, little brother?'' Was all Megazarak got to say before Megatron, while still clutching his bondmate to himself, lunged at his unsuspecting brother. Optimus only had the chance to yelp before he was pushed away by Megazarak as the two brothers started wrestling for the position on top while Megatron cursed his brother's very existence. The hangar was once again completely silent other than Wheeljack and Perceptor, who had walked over to where Optimus was sitting, stupefied, on the floor. He, like everyone else, was watching the two Decepticon Lords rolling around, trying to punch each other as they shouted at each other profanities in the Kaonite dialect. The Last Prime, for the first time since his rebirth, regretted that his processor had its unique ability to allow him to understand any language because, right now, he wished he was deaf rather than understand the things the two brothers said to each other.

He would never say something like that to his own brothers or sister!

Although, he _did_ wonder what was that thing Megazarak had just called Megatron because his bonded was very much _enraged_ by it.

''Should we stop 'em?'' Topspin asked from a safe distance away. Although he may be a Wrecker, he wasn't _that_ reckless as to try and get in between two Decepticons as famous for their almost unmatched fighting skills as these two were. He didn't want to die playing peacemaker, no sir-ie!

''Nah!'' Roadbuster negated as he watched avidly, trying to figure out who was going to win. ''Ten cubes of high grade on Megatron!''

''You're on!'' Puch said, shaking his servo. ''I say it's Megatron!''

Springer looked at the scene before them before grinning and slapped his palm over their still joined servos. ''I say fifteen on Optimus!'' Known for his randomness almost as much as Blitzwing, even Springer surprised his fellow Wreckers at his bet but Wheeljack soon sprinted over to them and placed his own servo over all of their's.

''I say the same for Ultra Magnus!''

The others could only either just shake their helms at the usual Wrecker behavior while Crosshairs walked over to them, looking pissed. ''How can you possibly be having fun now?! They might take the whole place down! They're fragging Decepticons!''

Punch looked disgusted and he pinched up his faceplates. ''Ew! No, they're brothers!''

''What?'' The green mech, one of the best snipers in the Autobot army, looked far too puzzled by this group of mechs for his own liking. Then he realized what the spy master had thought he had said and he screwed his own face up, equally disgusted. ''EW! No! Just, no!'' He tried to get the image out of his CPU by shaking his helm like an organic dog. ''Thank Primus, no!''

''Besides, never a dull moment when you're a Wrecker.'' Bluestreak said cheerfully with a very big grin stretched across his faceplate. He wasn't one for bets, but he liked the way of a Wrecker's life anyway! It was much to fun!

Crosshairs looked at them like they're crazy, shooting a curious look at Moonracer and his old crew, before returning to the black ops squadron. ''Where do we sign up?'' It caused him amused laughs from said black ops squad and many protests from His own teammates, but it all stopped when Impactor walked up to them, a half amused and half patronizing expression on his face.

''You don't join the Wreckers. They chose you, decide weather or not you're Wrecker material and if you can wreck like the best of 'em.''

''But can we still join?'' The green mech asked hopefully.

''Your team don't look too happy whit that option.'' Leadfoot said as he smoked on a cy-gar. ''Can you leave 'em behind for a new squadron?''

''Never!'' Crosshairs immediately exclaimed and glared at the red Wrecker leader for even daring to suggest such a thing.

The mech in question only grinned and patted the youngster on his helm. ''Maybe one day, then.''

However, Crosshairs never got the chance to reply as the two Decepticons almost rolled over the Autobots as they were still arguing up a storm. One would get the upper hand over the other for a few seconds, but then the other brother would use this move or that and then take that position. The cycle went on and on until Optimus got fed up with their childishness and left Perceptor's side. Taking out the Chaos Edge, another one of Nexus's many, big swords, the Last Prime walked right up to the now standing twins, locked by their servos as they tried to push the other away. He only raised the big, sunset orange sword high over his helm and made a move to bring it down when the brothers sprang apart, their battle computers warning them of a threat that might sever their limbs. Both immediately powered up their cannons and fire without enough conscious thought for them to realize who they were firing at, but Optimus had been ready for that and had already prepared the Scythe, once upon a time belonging to Amalgamous Prime. Its name being an indication of its primary form, however, the weapon was just as capable of changing form as Amalgamous himself. And so Optimus used it to form a shield to deflect the two rather powerful attacks. However, the Scythe was a weapon of the Primes, and thus indestructible by any means but another weapon of the Primes or Primus and Unicron.

As predicted, the two attacks bounced off of the shield, the Prime directing it outside, where he hit a Quinteson that was about to attack the Magnus. Ultra had realized there was a commotion in the hanger, and since no more light shows were going on, he took a wild guess from Megatron's earlier behavior and deducted that something must be wrong. So without further a due, Ultra Magnus had defeated his current enemy and rushed back into the hangar, not at all noticing the Quintesson that had sneaked up on him from behind.

''Now, if you two are done acting like sparklings-''

''Optimus Prime! Is everything alright here?'' The Magnus interrupted the youngest Prime as Optimus still held both artifacts in his servos, the Forge strapped to his backplating with the help of the Transformation Cog. He had been using that thing quite a bit ever since he had found the relics and gotten his memories back, everything from storing the bigger artifacts in his subspace with less difficulty, to reformatting his own frame by giving himself the compartments in his thighs and forearms as well as his new utility belt and shrinking other artifacts so they were easier to carry around. The red and blue Prime looked over to the Magnus but his reply was cut off by Megazarak's exclamation of delight.

''Ultra! How lovely to see you in person after all these stellar cycles!''

Apparently, that was enough to bring the Magnus to a stupefied stop and to inflame Megatron's anger all over again. He growled at his brother, taking his attention from his intended so he could perceive the possible threat, but Optimus thrust his sword between them, stopping them from attacking each other again. '' _What_ is _wrong_ with you two?! Can't you be sensible _grown-up bots_ that you **_should_ ** be?''

Megazarak looked, for the first time, coldly at his new brother by bond. ''This is none of your business.'' He snapped at the smaller mech, glowering at him and causing Megatron to power up his Fusion Cannon in defense of his mate, but Optimus wasn't fazed.

''One, _I_ called you here to _help_ and not cause trouble, so it is my business in that sense. Two, your only brother is my _bondmate_ , so _you_ are _my_ brother by bond, meaning that it is even more my business, because if you're going to only mess up our chances of defending our home planet in this war, please leave of _your_ own accord before I get my friend outside to do it _for_ you.'' He wasn't bluffing. He really would call in either Metroplex, who he can sense had reached Iacon's border, or Alpha Supreme and have them remove Megazarak. He would be of help, but _not_ if he was being obnoxious.

Megazarak contemplated him for a second before smiling and giving him a nod. ''I give you my word that I will not cause any trouble and will help in defending our home, as long as _Megatron_ stops acting like a sparkling.''

Ultra Magnus's jaw dropped at the very much sparkling-like behavior of his lover and Optimus massaged his nose bridge as Megatron, predictably, didn't take that so well.

''Me?! Why you-''

''Megatron.'' It wasn't even a higher tone of voice and Megatron turned to look at his lover. He shrank back at the disappointed glare the smaller mech was giving him and Megazarak smirked.

''Megazarak.'' Using the same tone, Ultra Magnus gave his own lover a very similar disappointed look, barely hiding his annoyance at the situation. Slag it, he should have been swept off of his stabilizers and whisked away somewhere a lot more private so they could, ehm, catch up for their long years of separation, not scolding his older lover like a disappointed creator does to their sparkling! The effect was the same and the other Decepticon Lord also shrank back, both brothers feeling guilty for annoying their lovers.

''Just _why_ are you acting like this?'' Optimus asked, still trying to ward off the oncoming helmache, because he really didn't need it right now. Besides, he had to get this over and done with, fast, as he still had one more stop before he could go to the one place he really needed to go. And if he never made it there, their allies would never be able to come to their aid, meaning that their army will eventually dwindle down enough for the Quintessons to overpower them, which will lead to a Quintesson-controlled Cybertron, something no one in the Universe needed to happen.

Neither Lord answered him and Optimus leveled up the might of his disappointed glare that usually had everyone feeling more than a fair amount of guilt, no matter if they had done something wrong or not. For the guilty, it was like a branding iron until they confessed or apologized. ''Megatron.'' He stressed his lover's name and the Decepticon warlord wisely decided to answer, for he could foresee the cold couch in the foreseeable future if he didn't. And he didn't want to sleep alone now that he had experienced holding Optimus in his arms all night!

''I was angry at him for first leaving the Cause to fend for itself while he played Casanova with that foolish little enforcer of his-''

''And I thought we had agreed that we will never speak of him again after we started talking again after two hundred stellar cycles of not hearing each other's voice! Even over the bond!''

''-and then I was angry with him never calling in the past three hundred stellar cycles!''

''You never answered in the last fifty two, you piece of shuttlescrap!'' Megazarak finally yelled at the top of his intake, glaring with real hurt at his brother.

''Because I was nothing more but a decapitated head in a pathetic organic's lab for fifty of those!'' Megatron yelled just as loudly, leaving the two brothers to look at each other in a whole new light, finally realizing what had been separating them for so long and both chuckled bitterly. They may act tough in front of everyone else, try make others believe that they were fine without each other, but they were still split-spark twins. They will always feel calmest with the other around them, always be happiest when they are near each other. As if the argument had never happened, and over such a silly misunderstanding as well, Megazarak and Megatron gave each other an one armed hug and patted each other on the back with their free, cannon-tutting servo, ending the argument as abruptly as it had started.

The rather touching moment was officially over when Springer happily exclaimed that he won.

00000

It didn't take long for Optimus to get back on track with his task and he did it with an absentminded ease that might have scared anyone other than his brothers or sister, for they had all seen Solus do more half recharging. However, the bots all gawking at him were not Primes, so seeing the process he had done on Kappa Supreme on the rest of the Omega Sentinels was bound to leave them speechless.

After Kappa had been repaired and the commotion that had followed with both the Quintesson would-be assassin and the two Decepticons fighting, Optimus had walked over to the remains of Gamma Supreme and had ''whacked'' both his engines and the light had swallowed the ship, but Optimus hadn't waited and had only walked up to the next Supreme, which was Epsilon. After doing the same with him, and just when the light of Gamma's repairs died down, Optimus repaired Theta Supreme, who for some reason changed his color from red, gray and blue to a fiery red with only traces of dark gray, and then did the same for Delta Supreme.

By the time all the lights had died down, all nine offline Omega Sentinels were in one piece, but everyone was still too stunned to move as they gazed upon the fleet no one in the Universe had thought would ever be seen ever again. Seeing this and knowing that they aught to hurry, Optimus had put away the Forge, took out the Cyber Caliber and took the Omega Lock two energy containers before marching into the nearest shipformer, who happened to be Zeta Supreme. That got the Wreckers and Impactor Prime out of their stupor and they hurried along into the ship, Impactor opening the big mech's spark chamber and letting Optimus in, despite keeping an optic on him as he worked.

Optimus explained what he was doing and showed him the port where he should later administrate the Allspark's energy after the ship was repaired. The Omega Lock energy had a similar affect regarding the light show like the Forge has had. However, the residual energy that escaped the Omega Sentinel reached everyone, healing the bots in the hangar and those who were the closest to them outside on the battlefield. They were lucky that it wasn't working on the Quintessons, though. All of Zeta's functions were repaired and his systems were now online, but the bot himself was still very much deactivated. Yet Impactor had nearly broken down crying and couldn't stop thanking the youngest of the Thirteen Primes.

Optimus had then walked over to the Allspark containers and had given him two, like he had done with Override Prime, and he instructed the two to now go and revive their friends, before going off to the next Supreme, Beta. The white, red and blue shipformer was soon repaired, with a very much teary-opticed Big Bang Prime thanking Optimus as he was handed his own two containers. By then, Kappa and Zeta were asking questions of their mentorbots and Optimus handed out containers to Smokescreen, who immediately walked over to Gamma, excited to meet his new friend, then to Chromia and to Railspike and to Moonracer, all of them hurrying to their own new, or in Railspike's case, lost partners. Moonracer's crew went with her, curious about the waking of a shipformer while the old Major all but ran to his ship.

After he had handed out all of the energies, Optimus returned to fixing the rest of the ships. He repaired Eta fully, but only one container was left for Iota, so Optimus used the Cyber Caliber and fixed him up with Nexus's old artifact, as he had predicted he would have to do at one point. After he was fixed as well, Optimus handed out the rest of the containers of Allspark energy and was glad that there were enough for the rest of the shipformers. He was thanked by the old mentors repeatedly as he handed them out that he didn't even notice who was the last new mentor, even though he had read that he was there.

''I told you one bot was enough to change the tide of war.'' Optimus locked optics with his old drill sargent, Kup Minor, the new mentorbot of Iota Supreme, as the old mech smiled at him. Realizing that the old bot was talking about a conversation had long ago, while Optimus had still been a slightly naive cadet, the Last Prime dipped his head in acknowledgment and respect. At one point, he would have dropped into a salute straight away, but he was no longer an Autobot, especially not that little cadet. Primus's children don't salute, not even Primus himself.

''I guess you were more right than even you could understand.''

Kup shook his old helm and chuckled. ''You sound as cryptic as Alpha Trion had when I have told him the same thing just after you were placed in my group.'' He must have shown something on his faceplate that betrayed his sadness and pain, because Kup placed a reassuring servo on his shoulder, the one that had once bore the Autobot insignia. ''I am truly sorry for your loss. He was a great mech.''

Optimus smiled sadly. ''Greater than you could ever imagine.'' He took one of the containers he had given the Minor out of the old bot's servos and walked over to where Iota stood waiting his new mentor. ''Come, I'll help you out.'' A servo stopped him and he was turned around, old optics locking into his own, very much older ones. ''Kup?''

''You have elsewhere to be.'' The Minor jerked his helm to where the three Decepticons were standing, Blackarachnia trying to get Sentinel's codpiece out of its bunch after he had heard about _another_ Decepticon going with Optimus. Megazarak had insisted and Ultra Magnus had been just as stubborn to escort them to the Temple of Primus at the north side of the city. ''I can deal with yet another sparkling after I had managed to deal with you.'' He said with a smile, even if his optics were still very much serious.

And Optimus knew he had other things to do other than reassuring his old sargent on how to deal with an Omega Sentinel and instructing him on how not to behave. Instead, he only nodded and clapped the Minor on his old shoulder strut and wished him luck before walking over to the awaiting Decepticons and Magnus. ''Are we ready to go?''

Bumblebee arrived just as the other nodded that they were, indeed, ready to go. Sari got out and the yellow minibot transformed, the Allspark that had been on his backseat now in his servos. They grinned at Optimus as the yellow bot handed it over and Optimus took it with a grateful smile of his own. ''You should go outside now and make sure that the Quintessons learn who stings like a bee, yes?''

Bumblebee laughed at Optimus's rather lame joke, not because it was funny but rather because it was their own inside joke. Only the Autobos who had been on Earth knew about the time when an actual bumblebee had sneaked into the minibot's exhaust port a few days after their first fight with a revived Megatron and it had started flying around until it had managed to get into some very uncomfortable or sensitive places, causing Bumblebee to ''dance'' around like a chimpanzee for three hours straight, as they were all laughing too hard for even Ratchet to do something about it. And when it had come time for the yellow and black bot to lie down on the medical berth, Bumblebee had decided that he'd rather spend the rest of his function with the bee in his systems than let Ratchet come near him with _that_ particular medical tool. It took the combined forces of Optimus, Prowl, Sari and Bulkhead to keep the minibot down long enough for Ratchet to induce stasis and after a quick operation, Bumblebee was free to go. However, they never forgot the incident and now, every time Bumblebee was supposed to enter an important battle, they would tease him about his namesake. Bee didn't mind, as long as they didn't compare them in size.

''You got it Boss-bot! Stay safe!'' And with that, the minibot was off, probably to meet the cyber ninjas and fight by their side.

Optimus turned to the bots and the two techno-organics that were going with them and didn't even bother to say anything about rolling out or rising up, knowing that he will only be teased about it and instead just took out his jetpack, surprising the Pit out of Megazarak and the other bots who hadn't yet entered their shipformers, and took off, a grinning Megatron following him as he carried Blackarachnia, Sari by his side and finally Megazarak with Ultra Magnus.

00000

Just when the Quintessons had started coming in hot towards Cybertron, eleven ships, all very similar to Omega Supreme's alt mode, joined the orange and red Supreme up in Cybertron's atmosphere, some without hesitation transforming into root mode and firing upon the Invaders From Beyond The Skies, as they had been called once upon a time. The others, who had new bonds with their new mentorbots, hesitated a bit, informing their crew or just captain where they were supposed to relocate before they could transform in order not to hurt them, but soon enough, all twelve Omega Sentinels were facing down the Quintesson fleet and said fleet was being, slowly but surely, pushed back.

Both Autobots and Decepticons cheered for the Supremes as the greatest fleet in the Universe battled the biggest fights for them, the rest of the mechs and femmes soon returning to their own fights, spirits raised considerably. Alpha Supreme and Sigma Supreme were with them a Iacon now had more than an adequate protector, everyone having seen Metroplex rise up and walk from his place at the edge of the Rust Sea to the great city of scholars and Primes. Omega Supreme and the other two already active shipformers received hails from all the other ships and although Artemis and Shockwave received unhappy or even downright angry responses at first, Optimus had sent a galaxy-wide transmission, telling all Autobots, Decepticons and their combined allies that Artemis and Shcokwave were both approved and vouched by and for by the Magnus and himself, threatening retribution if either were ridiculed.

That had made both Ratchet's and Strika's day when they had received the transmission. No one dared stand up to Optimus, as the news of his encounter with not only Megatron and the DJD, but also the unflappable and non-intimidated Cyclonus traveled so fast that even some Quintessons avoided Alpha Supreme on the possibility that Optimus was there and might come after them.

The old faces that Ratchet saw on his communications screens now made him grin, but he did wonder at the new bot and femmes. Sure, he knew Kup hated their current state affairs just like he did, but these bots were young. They would have to prove themselves, but from Kup's encrypted message it would seem that they had recommendations and damn good ones.

When he heard the hoots of the Wreckers on their shared comms as Zeta Supreme passed, said group on his plating and firing at anything that came their way, Ratchet felt his grin go from happy and revealed, if a little proud at what the kid had managed to accomplish, to exasperated, bemused and amused all at once. He had an unexpected soft spot for the malfunctioning group of glitches that he will not admit to on the pain of offlining. During the war, they were the ban of his existence, as every single one of them refused to be treated by any other medic but their grumpy Hatchet, and they usually got into scrap so deep that they became half scrap themselves. He may never be named an official member, but as far as the Wreckers were concerned, he was a Wrecker from the first time he had hit Wheeljack with a wrench over the helm, or after he had thrown an entire wrench-filled box at Topspin and Roadbuster. Or that one time when he had had to repair Leadfoot's interface panel because a Deceptcon had gotten lucky and blown a missal there.

Ah, good times!

As they passed him and Omega and rushed to fight the Sparkeaters and the Qvotus, they saluted him from their perch on their shipformer friend, also an unnamed Wrecker, grins on all their faces that suggested they would be in his med bay soon, to catch up. Ratchet only shook his helm and wondered if it was a smart idea to let them deal with the same threat Optimus had sent the DJD to fight? Nah, they'll be fine. Impactor wasn't as impulsive as to let them pick fights and from what he had seen and heard from Tarn, he at least tried to be a fair leader and ran a tight ship on Peaceful Tyranny, so no one would dare and attack Autobots, even if they were the Wreckers.

The best part about Artemis being on Alpha Supreme as Optimus's SIC was that the transmission regarding him had reached even Quintessonian audios and from the way the flag ship had aggressively attacked after the message, it would seem that Artemis's sister was not happy at all. After all, Optimus had just acknowledged her brother as not only competent enough to guide an Omega Sentinel through battle, but had also recognized him publicly as a part of Cybertron's army and population. Artemis was so beyond her reach now that he may as well have offlined.

And the Quintesson had swelled with pride when such confidence was placed on him by his precious, beloved Lord Optimus. He was a good commander, all things considered, and an even better medic. Ratchet was known on both sides of the war for the many medical miracles he has made over the long stellar cycles on the battlefield. No medibot has saved as many lives, lost causes and near-deactivated mechs and femmes as Ratchet himself has and he has finally met his match in this gray, green-opticed Quintesson. Artemis was just as firm in his med bay with his patients as he was in his commands to mechs that come under his jurisdiction by getting damaged near Alpha Supreme or are sent there by other big bots.

All on all, they were doing great.

He had seen Slipstream and her brothers some time ago, hooting in victory as they and Starscream took down a doomsday level ship all on their own. The femme clone had even been the only one to dare and fly up to the flag ship, show the Quintessons a gesture that must have been the rudest thing you could show a Quintesson, no doubt taught to her by one very smug Quintessonian Prince, because the Quints were raging after that. And raging meant making mistakes, mistakes that that slagger Blackout was taking advantage of perfectly. If it had not been used on Omega Sentinels for their entire existence, it would have been beautiful, how he so easily took them down. And from what he had seen, Skywarp had developed a burst of courage, because he didn't hesitate to throw himself into the heat of battle. He didn't know for the other clones, but he could see that they were all doing just fine.

And from what he was hearing from Cliffjumper from Iacon, Fortress Maximus was the perfect line of defense against any invading ships, taking them further down into the atmosphere so they could be dealt with more easily, but Metroplex, as Optimus had announced over the comms some time ago, was good at taking them out of the skies completely. Ratchet didn't know weather he should be questioning where Optimus had found out about Metroplex being Acroplex. He could make a few guesses, his main one being Alpha Trion, but he wasn't sure.

Lately, he wasn't sure about many things regarding Optimus. The young Prime that had been assigned as captain of his beloved ship and friend seemed to have changed so much he could almost barely recognize him. For one, his temperament was different. Sure, it could be chalked down to him seeing his friends alive, reconciling with Blackarachnia and Sentinel and even realizing that the Cybertron he had thought he was living in was nothing more but a cover made by propaganda that fit the Council's needs, but Optimus, although young, had never been quite so naive.

Ever since he had met the Prime, there seemed to be something bothering him. He had asked, once, and he had received the answer that Optimus didn't really know. He had said that there was something that was missing, and on the day that they had found the Allspark (more like it found them, but still) his young leader had questioned him if he ever felt like he was made for something more than repairing space bridges. He had tired to joke it off, because he had, at the time, thought it was the depression of such a mundane task talking, especially with those war videos the kid kept watching. Had Optimus really known that he was meant for more?

It wouldn't surprise him. Optimus was only so subdued due to the fact that he had thought he had caused the death of his Amica Endura. They had had that conversation many time, him always trying to reassure the red and blue mech that it wasn't his fault, that he had reacted how any sensible leader would, saving those he could instead of letting them all get killed. He briefly had wondered what would have become of him and Bumblebee and Bulkhead, pit even Prowl, had Optimus died that day and they were given to another commander. He knew that Omega wouldn't be in such a good state and he doubted that they would have ever survived their first encounter with Megatron.

Would they even have the Allspark in the first place?

He knew that the only reason they found the thing was because Optimus was with them. It was damn obvious, what with the way it had only reacted to him being in danger. It was always Optimus the thing seemed interested in, no one else. He didn't know what that's supposed to mean, but Alpha Trion had seemed to know what he had been talking about.

He couldn't help but wonder how this fight would be going if the old Archivist was here as well.

Optimus sure as Pit would be a lot happier.

But perhaps this was for the best.

Had Optimus been happy, he wouldn't have reached out to the DJD.

Had Optimus been content, he would have never made Sumdac and Megatron apologize to each other and demand that the Professor and Fanzone (who was now guiding and ordering around Iaconian enforcers to clear all areas of civilians and was doing damn perfect) join them.

Had Optimus been sheltered by Alpha Trion's worry, he would never make the plans he had.

And had Optimus not been so angry with Quintessa as he was now, they might not have held out this long.

It was like the troops were feeding off of that anger and it made them stronger, bolder and more daring.

It was winning them battles.

It gave them back the mightiest fleet in the Universe.

And it was going to defend their home.

For once, Ratchet was glad Optimus Prime was angry, something he would have never wished upon anyone before.

00000

When he had been a sparkling in this second life of hi, Alpha Trion had often brought him to the Temple of Primus, always telling him how it would settle his spark. He wasn't wrong, as young Optimus always felt at peace in this holy place, the serenity of the building giving him a glimpse of what he should have had but was beyond his reach. In this place, the void always stopped howling and reminding him that it was there. It was where he had felt most as himself, as the real Optimus Prime.

When he had been helping with building the place after the Battle with Unicron, Optimus had allowed the place to soak up as much of his peace and serenity he had felt when surrounded by his siblings. The Temple they were building to their Carrier was right below one of their new six moons, at the edge of the city they were building along the Temple, and very close to where the Well will one day be formed when Solus was accidentally murdered. With his brothers and sister so close to him, Optimus had been content and he often never even noticed how his siblings were changing. That was only in the beginning, though. He had never actually seen the compilation of the Temple, it having been pushed to the back of all of their processors when other things started to interest his brethren, mostly things that were driving them apart.

When he had been a cadet, Optimus still frequented the place of prayers to their Creator, but the acolytes and the priests were there more for show than anything else. They had long given up hope of the Allspark ever returning to this place, or to the Well that was only about twenty or so breems away when driving. Optimus would go there and spend hours meditating or praying to Primus, still feeling that same peace. When Elita One had disappeared, this was the only place he could go to so his thoughts would stop showing him the incident over and over again. He had spent three nights in the Temple, before he and Sentinel faced military tribunal and he was sent off with his team.

He knew that after he had allowed himself to become the Allspark, his siblings had completed the Temple and made a big altar of sorts to represent where his body should lie if it had been a simple offlining, but future generations used it to place the Allspark on during the War for Freedom. And this is where the Allspark Matrix was currently at. He had not been in the Temple since his return from Earth, but he knew he will no longer find true peace there. Fifty two stellar cycles was enough for those priests and acolytes to change everything that made the place holy so it could make profits or become a part of the Council's propaganda campaign.

And he was going to wring their little necks when he gets his servos on them if they had changed anything his brothers had placed there!

They were greeted by Sentinel when they reach the Temple, the blue and orange mech standing there with crossed servos and a big scowl on his faceplate. is impressive chin tipped up to show his displeasure at the presence of Megazarak as well as Megatron. He seemed to have next to no problems with Blackarachnia and Sari being there, but then again, two Decepticon Lords were more of a bother than two techno-organics. A little bit behind him, two acolytes were wringing their servos nervously as they recognized not only the Decepticons, but also Optimus, as they were old acolytes that had seen him here very often and must have known that he was going to be displeased with something.

''Took you long enough!'' Sentinel snapped as soon as Optimus's pedes touched the ground.

''Sorry, but I did have nine shipformers and a cityformer to revive and an under-defended Iacon to protect.''

''What?''

''Never mind.'' He ignored Sentinel's confused look and made a move to walk into the Temple, but the acolytes stopped him by standing in his way. Confused and a little annoyed, Optimus raised an optic ridge and told them to move, but they just shook their helms and said he could not. Looking over his shoulder to Sentinel, who shrugged, then to Ultra Magnus, who was equally mystified, Optimus could not help but stare at the two acolytes. ''Why aren't they letting us in?'' He asked Sentinel, because this was what he was supposed to take care of, to announce them and make sure that the priests and acolytes understood why they had to see the remaining pieces of the Allspark. There was no way he could have messed up this bad!

''They say that no one is allowed in unless the Council had given its permission, and when I contacted them, they said there was no way they were allowing a Decepticon sympathizer anywhere near their only remaining weapon against them.'' The big-chinned bot answered, distaste and anger in his voice as he glared at the Temple like it was at fault and not the system.

Megazarak's and Megatron's intakes curled in disgust and Blackarachnia hissed her own displeasure and shock at the Council's stupidity. Sari couldn't understand why they would do something so stupid and Ultra Magnus was too busy trying to order the Council to let them in, but to no avail.

Optimus's optics narrowed as the Autobot Supreme Commander apologies, saying that the Council was adamant and weren't going to change their mind even if he held them at the end of his Magnus Hammer. ''Really now?'' He said with anger, gently placing the Allspark fragments down. He could feel them calling out to both him and their remaining pieces that were in the Allspark Matrix, inside this building that he and his brethren had founded. He could feel a call from inside as well, the pieces that Prowl had given his life collecting calling out to their own companions and to Optimus, their mech.

Like Pit was he going to allow the Council to stop him!

Reaching itno his subspace, he ignored the panicked cries form his own companions, who feared for the worst, Optimus drew out the artifact of his choice and looked the acolytes directly in the optics as it came into view.

00000

Jetfire and Jetstorm were happy when they were teamed up with bots they knew, even if they were the supposedly evil Decepticons. And while most of the Decepticons were rather nasty and rude, and all of them were rather violent, the Cons were generally a nice bunch...

To their own?

Not at all.

To Autobots?

Certainly not!

To sparklings?

When the other Decepticons had seen them, they had all but cued at the Jettwins, if in a bad-aft way and not at all how Autobot femmes usually cued at them. But Jetfire and Jetstorm surely weren't complaining, as they were accepted here. To Decepticons, it didn't matter that they had started out as groundpounders and had only gotten their flight capabilities due to seeker coding being inserted into them after they had almost died.

If anything, the Cons admired them for surviving such a wound and coming out stronger than before! They said it didn't happen often and that they were real warriors if they had gone through all that and became even better fighters. And what happened to them up until the point when Optimus picked them up had the warframes seething with repressed rage that soon turned into expressed rage when a few more dozen attack drones were taken down or blown up. They made sure to look out for the twins in battle and their respect for the not-Autobot Optimus grew as they listened to the twins talk about their captain and all the things he did to make sure everyone on his crew were safe and happy.

Who knew that the Decepticons were best gossips during battles?

And the respect they had for the Prime only grew when Jetfire and Jetstorm told them which move he had helped them practice or he had taught them, or even invented for them to use. They had started to crowd in on the flying former Autobots, more interested in their stories by the second instead of the fight, and it caused them a few casualties and brought Blitzwing's attention to them. They soon went back to their positions as Angry yelled at them and shot at a few, before Icy took the twins with him.

And then they gave the Qvotus Pit.

The ugly beasts didn't really have much of a choice but to either burn to death or to retreat, and with the help of Lugnut and other Decepticon heavy-hitters, most of the things died right away, so that took care of that. They did have a run in with the DJD when a stray Sparkeater nearly offlined them all, but Tesarus had come to their rescue in time to kill the monster. Then Kaon and Tarn saved them from a swarm of Scraplets that were let out from a ship overhead.

All in all, they would have felt better if they were with Optimus and Slipstream, but Safeguard was needed and they made a pretty good team with Blitzwing.

They just hoped that they will make their Captain proud.

00000

While his companions had obviously thought that he was going to take out one of his weapons, Optimus knew that would be futile. Besides, this was the Temple of Primus, a place where violence should never, ever, ever be used, not even as a last resort.

So when his servo retrieved his desired artifact from his subspace and presented it to the two acolytes, Optimus was pleased with their shocked and horrified expressions when they saw and immediately recognized the Badge of Vector Prime. Making sure they followed his every movement, Optimus placed the Badge over his spark chamber and the relic immediately attached itself, jumping to his plating and welding itself there.

The Badge of Vector Prime was worn by Vector during his life with his brothers. Optimus recalls seeing it on his brother's armor all the time and he knew that the Badge had very little power outside Vector Sigma. During the Age of Rust, Alpha Trion journeyed to a node of Vector Sigma to try and find some means of rekindling the spirits of Cybertron's population. He hoped for the Matrix of Leadership itself and the return of his brother, but Vector Sigma could not bestow that gift upon him. Instead, Vector Sigma turned over the Badge of Vector Prime, that the second Prime had hidden there for safe keeping, to Alpha Trion.

Alpha Trion gave the Badge to Sentinel Zeta Prime, in the hopes that it would spurn the elected Prime into activity. Although he wore the artifact, it seemingly did nothing to change Sentinel's ways, and may have even acted as a confirmation for Sentinel to stay the course. It was truly only because of Megatronus's sacrifice that they had somehow defeated the Quintessons and stayed free, but then the functionalists came along and Cybertronians became their own slavers and oppressors. When Megazarak and Megatron finally killed the bot, Alpha Trion had taken the Badge back and made adjustments so only Primes could wear it. Apparently, although they didn't know that the third Prime was actually the old Archivist they often tried to make fun of, the acolytes had heard of this story and so they realized that they were standing in the presence of one of Primus's children and that made them bow.

Optimus didn't comment, just took the Allspark back into his servos and made his way into the Temple, his companions following him confusedly. The Badge of Vector Prime seemed to act like a warding sigil to the rest of the priests and acolytes, and even the head priest bowed and sputtered excuses and praises and welcomings before getting out of his way. He knew it only further perplexed Megatron and the others, but he could not give a slag about that now when he was standing in front of the Allspark Matrix, the remaining pieces of his old spark glowing brighter in greeting.

Walking up to the altar, Optimus opened the Allspark's container, the pieces inside immediately sprung out and started floating around him like they had on Dinobot Island until he had forced them into his palm, then the container. He knew that everyone was staring at him, had heard the rest of the priests and acolytes sneak into the room to watch the spectacle, but he didn't pay them much mind as he took in the changes done to this room. He was revealed that they were superficial, although he should have realized that short of repainting, they couldn't do more. This place was, after all, built by Primes, Solus's Forge doing most of the job despite them all putting in an effort. However, what really ticked him off was that they had had the audacity to cover the statues of his brethren. They couldn't remove them, as the statues were made like a part of the foundation for that very reason and were Solus's last gift to her brothers before that unfortunate accident. The mesh they used to cover the statues was a dull gray, the thirteen statues circled the room. Once upon a time, even before it was finished, this Temple was a place for him and his brothers to meditate. There was no Well and Vector Sigma was on the other side of the planet, where Megatronus was building his own city that will become Kaon later. There was an underground path to Vector Sigma, but it was still along trip, and no one could just ask either their fliers or Vector to just give them a lift every time any one of them wanted to feel closer to Primus. Back then, Vector Sigma still hadn't had its function and part in creating new life, but it would later.

When the fragments that Optimus had just brought started floating around, the Allspark Matrix started vibrating, drawn to the pieces that will make it whole. The weak vessel they had given it back on Earth was starting to crumble, the pieces of orange, Earth iron falling to the ground as the fragments Prowl had collected came out, leaving their forced place and floating around Optimus with the rest of the Allspark. They played around the Last Prime and knowing that a lot of energy will be needed,as well as a push in the right direction, Optimus parted his chestplates a little, the light of his current spark and of the Matrix of Leadership lighting up the room.

The spectators could only watch in awe as the fragments started gravitating to where Optimus's chest had opened, right above the Badge of Vector Prime, the decorative face that looked so much like the Autobot symbol but far more elaborate. The faction symbol was made to resemble this very Badge, but instead of the loving face of Primus like on the Badge, the Autobot symbol was that of a frowning Prima. The Decepticons, in order to show their defiance and that they were the farthest thing from Autobots, had taken their symbol to be a representation of Megatronus's face, pitting brother against brother even in death.

And now, in front of the face of Primus, the badge under which they fought the first War for Freedom, the Allspark was coming back together.

Optimus felt it when his old spark was brought back together, when every last piece fell in place. He felt a connection that he had not felt for two years reopen, leading him into the deepest parts of the Allspark, the part he had glimpsed when he had briefly offlined don Earth. He saw the bright sparks of his twelve siblings, all pulsing happily at him, giving him strength and warmth like no other and he soaked it up. He hadn't known at the time that the Allspark was reaching out to him, as it too knew that it was needed like this rather than Optimus's own spark like it had once been, but it was still stubborn enough to demand a connection. Then again, he had always been stubborn, so it made sense that his spark would be like that, too.

As the Allspark, now whole and resting in his hand, glowed and sent tendrils of light into his chest, the Quintessons had gotten up to over the Temple and started firing on the building. Megatron and Megazarak cursed up a storm as the sacred place started to shake under the attack. Ultra wasn't that far behind them, but he was not going to scandalize the priests and acolytes with such foul language.

''Whoa!'' Sari yelped as she fell to her bottom from the shocks. She had been so fascinated by the Allspark's little performance that she had completely lost balance. ''What's going on?!'' She screamed as a, for her, giant pot, almost fell on her and crushed her, had it not been for Blackarachnia. The femme had picked up her fellow techno-organic and held the girl close to her chastplate, muttering swears as the whole complex shook again under the assault.

''We need to get out of here before the whole place comes down on our heads!''

''No!'' The head priest exclaimed, clinging to one of the bigger items so it wouldn't fall over and break. ''There's no need! This Temple was built by the Primes of Old!'' Another shudder went through the building and someone screamed. ''There's nothing short of Primus or Unicron that can demolish it!''

''I'm not staying here to test that theory!'' Sentinel yelled as he took out his shield and placed it over his helm and the helms of three other priests and an acolyte. ''You either come with us or you stay and wait for the roof to come down on you!''

In all this commotion, Optimus was utterly still, finishing up the connection he once again shared with his old spark. He had been born in the Well, not the Allspark, like the rest of the sparked mechs and femmes, from Primus's own Spark. Rather, he had been reborn there. He had crawled out of the Well on his own, until the very top, where Alpha Trion met him and took him out that last spiral. He had been tiny, but strong and he had made it through the whole journey every generation since the First had to take in order to meet their caretakers and future families. However, unlike any other bot, he had not crawled out of the section where the Allspark rests, many mechanometers above Primus's Spark. No, he had come out of the very bottom of that hole, from the core of their planet. Primus had extracted his essence from the Allspark when, first the united Cybertronians had taken it out so the Quintessons don't take it and, then, when the Autobots had decided to launch the item into a random space bridge. And ever since, the Creator had been holding that one spark close to his own, becoming Optimus's literal Carrier in the way he would never be to any of his brethren. However, this is now the first time Optimus can fully see into the Allspark without Using one of Onyx's Triptych Masks and he can see his brothers and sister were just fine. They missed him and would like to be with him, but they would never allow themselves to hope that he joins them soon. No, for all that he himself wished them here, he was happy with his friends, his trine and his new bonded.

Besides, he couldn't die now and take two sparks into the Well with him. It wouldn't be fair to his family.

Just as the link formed fully, another shock ran through the Temple and Optimus, for the first time since he had seen the rest of his spark, started paying attention to others around him. Other around him that were now fully panicking. Before he could stand up (and just when had he knelt down?) a heavy servo landed on his shoulder, shaking him a little and he looked up into the worried optics of his bonded. ''Are you alright, sweetspark? I've called your name five times!''

Optimus smiled up at him and nodded. ''I am fine.''

''Then _what_ was _that_?!'' He indicated at Optimus, the Allspark, the Badge of Vector Prime and at the Temple at large. ''And you better tell me the _whole_ truth this time, Optimus, because I felt the place _vibrating_! What's going on and why won't you tell me?''

Optimus swallowed thickly at the hurt he recognized in Megatron, despite the warlord doing his best to hide it. He knew that this moment would come, but they were obviously under attack and they didn't have time for this now. He needed to return the Allspark to its place and give the signal that they needed help from the inhabitants of the six moons! Besides, they can't leave their hiding places without Optimus's help now, because the plates had all but sealed shut with them underground!

''I promised already that I would tell you everything after all of this was over and I'll keep that promise. But I can't tell you now, Megatron. Please, just trust me this bit longer?''

The gray mech was obviously having an inner struggle on weather he should just ignore it for now or if he should insist on his mate telling him now. But another shudder decided for him and he nodded at Optimus reluctantly, dragging his mate to his pedes. ''I'll hold you to that.''

Optimus smiled sadly up at his bonded and nodded before turning serious. ''We need to deal with these annoyances first.''

''You leave that to me and Sentinel Prime.'' Ultra Magnus said as he took his Hammer in both servos. ''This is mostly my fault, anyway. It it time that I fix all my past mistakes.'' Megazarak made a move to join the two Elite Guard members, but Ultra shook his helm at his lover. ''You need to stay with Megatron.''

''But-!''

''Don't worry, I'll watch over the two glitches.'' Blackarachnia said as she walked over to Megazarak and placed Sari on his shoulder struts. ''You need to watch over those two glitches. And keep my sister here safe, or else.'' She threatened, her spider legs at her shoulders twitching to show her point and the older twin nodded, amused and not at all intimidated. She then turned to Optimus and looked him dead in the optics. ''You better return and use that fragging sword of yours to win us this fight, Optimus, or so help me Primus, I will revive you myself just so I can kill you all over again.''

Optimus nodded and smiled at his friend's obvious worry, before nodded at the two blue Autobots s they turned to leave. He waved goodbye to the Temple's residents before walking out another entrance that not even they had known about, Allspark in servos as Sari and the Deceptcion Lords followed him.

00000

Quintessa was seething in rage as her forces were more and more pushed back.

This wasn't supposed to take this long! They've been here, fighting, for almost a decacycle now! It was supposed to end after the second solar cycle, but the Decepticons never made a move to join them. No, it would seem that someone had freed Megatron, untouched and even repaired, asking for honest help from the Decepticons and for whatever reason, Megatron was more than happy to provide it!

And it wouldn't have been so bad if it was only a few squadrons of Decepticons, that they could have dealt with. No, it was the whole Decepticon Empire that had joined the entirety of the Autobot Commonwealth! Even the DJD was there, and not only were they not killing Autobots or other Decepticons that must have been on their infamous List, but they were happily working side by side with the Wreckers, a unit she knew they hated and that hated them just as much!

Just who had managed to unite these two waring factions after more than four million years of inequality among the masses!?

Whoever it was, Quintessa just realized she had a serious and very much dangerous enemy. She would need to find them, because whoever they were, they had just managed another miracle. Her son had said that they had lost because three of the famous sentient Autobot ships were somehow brought back to the world of the online and she had accused him of lying. However,three ships of such description had been reported in Iacon, over Acroplex and in the orbit, dwindling their forces is said places. Frag, she had seen the orange shipformer transform with her own green optics, so she knew that they were not reports of excuses to cover their incompetents. Then, when the whole fleet of the Omega Sentinels, who she was sure were all destroyed in the wars with the Decepticons, some only remaining a few pieces of scrap here and there, she had first been intimidated before she grew enraged when that accursed transmission reach all frequencies.

Her brother, Artemis, was on Alpha Supreme, mocking her by siding with a puny Autobot! He was said Autobot's SIC and as such he was to command the ship in his absence. And the greatest insult had been when Artemis had been accepted by the rest of the Cybertronina forces as one of their own! Her brother was now under their jurisdiction and so far out of her reach that she might as well be reaching for Primus himself.

Oh, she was going to wring that little Autobot's spark out and crush it before his very offlining optics so it is the last thing he ever sees!

And as if the fleet of Supremes wasn't bad enough, their ancient enemy, Metroplex, was awake and fighting on the Cybertronians's side again! How was that even _possible_!? The Titan had offlined giving his fuel and energon to the armies of Cyertron many stellar cycles ago! And he was now fighting as if he had never had that little stasis nap of that had lasted centuries!

Besides, even if it had been scientist from either or both faction that had somehow revived him, Metroplex wasn't like their Omega Sentinels, made all but slaves by their dependency on their mentorbots. Metroplex served only Primes, true Primes created by Primus himself, from his Plating and Spark. Alpha Trion had been the last living Prime and her son had showed her his memory file of killing the old bot.

However, when he had cut the image, she had noticed that there had been a red blur from the corner of his optics in the image. Something, or someone, had attacked him when he was dealing with the Archivist and she wanted to know who it was, slag it!

''What is wrong, mother?'' Speak of Unicron and he shall appear.

''Son.'' She ackowledged him, hissing as another of her ships in the atmosphere was taken down by those blasted seekers. ''Something troubles me.''

''And what is that, mother?'' Thamast asked as he approached her, cautious. It was rare that she answered him so truthfully, and it was usually a sign that she had figured something out and wanted him to confess if he knew anything about it and if he had anything to do with it.

''Have you, perhaps, met anyone else after your encounter with the Prime?''

Ah, so she had noticed Optimus's blurred form as he had charged at the Prince.

''Well, since you asked, yes, I did.''

Quitnessa growled at her son. ''And why are you telling me this only now?''

Thamast tried his best not to smirk at her irked expression. ''Because I had a message from him to deliver.''

''Well?!'' She snapped, having enough of his non-answers.

''Justice is a sharp sword, the Hunter never loses its pray and the Era of Primes is far from over.''

Fear colored her faceplate for a second before she snapped through the communications systems that they are to take them to Iacon on the double. She has a Temple of Primus and a Well of Allsparks to conquer, after all.

00000

::So that's Quintessa's ship attacking?:: Megatron questioned over their comms as he, his brother and Sari followed Optimus on the rather short flight to the Well. They could already see it now, after only five breems of flight.

::Unfortunately.:: Optimus answered, having gotten the report form Artemis himself. That was definitely the Quintesson Queen herself and that either meant she was smarter than he had given her credit for or she was only now informed that the Dynasty of Primes was still alive in him. He had to wonder why Thamast wouldn't tell her his message immediately. Perhaps he had had a change of spark? No, Quintessons, other than Artemis, didn't have sparks. However, that didn't mean that they couldn't change their minds about something. ::We should be quick about this.::

''And just what is 'this'?'' Megazarak asked form where he flew by Megatron ,obviously worried for Ultra Magnus, but Optimus had reassured him that the Temple was close enough to Metroplex that the Titan could easily take down the ship if it endangered the blue and white bot or Sentinel. That hadn't done much in easing his nerves, but Megatron had faith in his little lover so Megazarak clung to some of that faith as well, as he didn't really know the mech well enough to hope for some miracle from him.

''Yeah, Oprimus! You've been awfully secretive as of late and it's driving me insane! Why aren't you telling us things anymore!? I thought we were friends.'' Sari pleaded as she hurried up to fly by the ex-Autobot. The Last Prime grit his denta, hating how he was treating his friends and his bonded, but this was something he had to do by himself. They can't do anything about it because they didn't even really believe, let alone understand what will happen in a handful breems of time. Then again, maybe their reaction when he reveals who he is will be slightly less severe if he told them something now and the rest later?

''You see these six moons in Cybertron's orbit?'' Sari nodded while the two Lords came to fly in the same line as the Prime and the techno-organic. ''They're somehow made out of the same impenetrable metal alloys as Cybertron is, they've survived the same amount of solar storms and seen the same wars as Cybertron has. They've been there since the beginning of time, yet they show signs of being near black holes and dying stars, something that there is no traces of on Cybertron. How is that?''

Sari shrugged. ''Maybe they went for a cruise before they settle here?''

''Or maybe they are actually older than Cybertron, as many scientists suggest?'' Megazarak snidely commented, earning himself a reproachful glare from his twin. ''What?! It's a perfectly good theory!''

''It would make a perfectly good theory, had there not been the fact that all seven are the same age, down to the last microklik.'' Optimus said, not at all offended by the tone. ''Now, how many of you actually believe in Primus?''

''Okay, you've lost me now, big guy.''

''Our supposed Creator?'' The older twin asked again, not believing that they were going into religious shuttlescrap. Just what was the little Prime aiming at? ''Not at all.''

Optimus nodded. ''I expected as much. Well, if you must know, Primus very much exists and so does Unicron.''

''Oh yeah!?'' Megazarak goaded. ''Prove it!''

''I will, in like a few breems, but I need you to actually listen to me now.'' Optimus glared over his shoulder at Megazarak, adjusting his grip on the Allspark's container. The thing had been getting warmer the closer they came to the Well, anticipating its return to the place it was supposed to be. Megatron had made two offers to carry the thing, but Optimus wasn't going to let the Allspark out of his servos until it was where it was supposed to be.

Megatron silenced his twin with a fierce glare before telling Optimus to proceed.

''Before anything existed, there was a being roaming in nothingness. It's name was simply The One. It grew lonely, so it started talking with itself and it soon noticed that it had developed two different personalities that were growing with every word spoken between them. It soon lead to The One splitting in two: Primus, One and First, and Unicron, One and Unique. And in that moment, Existence began. With time, not that it really existed back then, they started splitting even more, Unicron began changing, craving his brother's full attention and became willing to destroy whole would-be worlds to ensure that it stays only on him. Primus grew sick of it and started fearing what will become of his twin, so when they split in Body as well as Mind and Spark, Primus retreated to a secluded part that Unicron had yet to discover. That's when Space was made, and Primus decided to fight his brother, only he wasn't strong enough. Soon, he realized that the only way to defeat Uncron is by creating beings to whom he can give his powers to and guide them into defeating his brother, and so the Thirteen Original Primes were born.''

''You mean, Primes like you and Sentinel and Hot Rod?'' Sari asked, entranced by the story.

''No, nothing like that.'' Optimus told her gently, they now being almost above the Well itself. ''I want you to listen to me very carefully now, Sari. There are Primes and there are **_Primes_**.'' He stressed the difference as much as he could, but he could see that she didn't get it. It was understandable, seeing as she didn't really knew any Cybertronian on her own without the knowledge that the Allspark had given her so she can survive on her own, but nothing else. ''The Thirteen Primes were not like the bots today. They held great power, each one of them holding a part of what will later become the Universe we all know today, the abilities that we now have or other such things. With their birth came Time, Creation, Matter, Energy, Stars and Destruction and so many more wonderful and awful things. They were something like demigods, what with the power they possessed. And they trained together for a long while before they faced down Unicron.''

''And destroyed him in his defeat, allowing time to start flowing and the Universe to start developing.'' Megatron finished, but Optimus only chuckled.

''Ah, yes. The wrong story they taught everyone but the First Generation. No, Unicron wasn't destroyed. If he had died, it would have been like with any other set of split-spark twins or Conjunx Enduras, and Primus would have died with him. The Universe would have collapsed in on itself. No, the Thirteen didn't kill him. The youngest of the Primes put him into the same type of stasis Primus was as Cybertron and allowed the two brothers to be close to each other again. Unicron, having realized the horrors he had committed, decided to redeem himself by becoming Cybertron's protector, as such protecting both his brother/bonded and their creations. He split himself in six equal, identical orbs and placed himself in Cybertron's orbit, become the six moons we now see in out skies. Four around the middle, one overhead and one on the opposite pole of the planet.''

''No way!'' Sari breathed, the story something so much more than she would have ever believed as possible as a mere human, but seeing as she was half Cybertronian, she figured everything was possible.

''Are you actually suggesting that Primus and Unicron were lovers?'' Megatron couldn't help but question his bonded, a little concerned for his sanity. Megazarak just stared at his brother by bond and shook his helm. This bot was crazy!

''Isn't it the most common occurrence for split-spark twins to also be bondmates? Their sparks are completed by each other and they have no need for anyone else. It's not always the case, as you two are perfect examples of, but it is known to happen more often than not. Where do you think that comes from?'' The way Optimus said it made it seem like the most obvious thing in the world.

Neither Decepticon could deny the statement.

''So, Luna 1-6 are parts of Unicron?'' Megazarak cautiously asked and Optimus nodded as they stopped over the Well and stared at where the battle was taking place in Iacon, the two warframes looking up at the moon overhead. ''What's that got to do with anything and especially why we are not fighting this war with the rest of our troupes but rather returning the Allspark into the Well?''

''Unicron is in much the same situation like Primus is. They can't more or transform back into root mode, ever again, but they can bring out their weapons of the right thing is done. Besides the enormous and overwhelmingly powerful weapons we will get after I return the Allspark, we will also free our forgotten allies living on the six moons.'' Optimus explained as he watched what must have been Ultra Magnus using his Hammer to bring lightning and electrocuting quite a few smaller ships. ''Just like warframes were treated poorly after the defeat of Quintessons, quite a few Cybertronian subspecies, if you would like to call them as such, were exiles from the planet. They settled on the moons, but when the functionalists decided to dig for energon or other resources on the moons, they went into hiding, living underground for millions of years. Soon, however, the plating under which they had lived for so long got all but sealed and they are now stuck. After I return the Allspark, it should open hatches for the weapons and they can exit through there, giving us quite a backup.''

''And how are you so sure they'll help?'' Sari asked. ''I mean, your ancestors chased them away.''

''My 'ancestors' did nothing.'' Optimus said with vehemence. ''Besides, I had Leader-1, Roller's mate, contact his creators, who are leaders of the Minicon tribes on Luna 2. They've called the others and I was informed that they were more than happy to finally be let free and that they will, indeed, help fight the Quints off. Something about releasing some steam before negotiating their return to the planet.''

''You say that as if it's up to you who can come back and who can't.'' Megazarak challenged and Optimus turned to him fully to show him his sharp, cold smile.

''It will be, soon.''

Before Megazarak could react, Optimus had already dived into the Well of Allsparks, Megatron and Sari already hot on his heels, erm, thrusters. Megazarak sighed and followed after the three, not really knowing what to expect.

00000

Roller was quite please with how the Minicons were faring in this fight.

Trypticon was in great shape, just as fast and as maneuverable as it had been when they had used the war vessel to depart to Cybertron. Despite it being first a Decepticon fortress and secret weapon, as Minicons were neutral and they had landed in Decepticon territory, then it being turned into an Autobot-controlled prison for Decepticons, Trypticon was still every bit a warship it had been originally. Leader-1, his bondmate, and Surechock, one of his many sisters, have made sure to keep it in shipshape, running a tight ship and an even tighter, but just prison.

Of course, neither of them had been happy with Roller leaving the vessel in the first place.

He had been curious about the world outside the metal walls of Trypticon and so he had left their safety after the war was over, heading for Iacon. He went there in vehicle mode, wanting to see as much of Cybertron as he could. It took a lot longer than if he had used any form of transport, but it had been worth it. Or so he thought until he finally arrived in the great city. He grew a bit dissapointed when he realized that the bots there were all mean and that they refused to help him simply because he was a Minicon and as such a neutral. In their optics, that meant he was either a Decepticon sympathizer or he was going to become one. He knew that his presence unnerved them, but he had only wanted to see the city! Was that really so bad?

Thankfully, the enforcers didn't bother him. Much.

Until a green and yellow femme had decided to complain on him to one of the officers, telling them that he was disturbing the peace and the enforcer hadn't really cared how, he was just looking for an excuse to exert his meager power over the smaller bot. He might have started an incident had Optimus, a sparkling back then, not been on one of the excursions with his day-care center while Alpha Trion had been in Polyhex for business. The little mech had seen that he was about to get picked on and he had separated from his group, the caretaker never noticing, and he had bound up to the Minicon and exclaimed that he was so happy to have found him and that he had been so scared when he had lost sight of him, his ''caretaker''. He had made such a scene from it that the enforcer and the femme tried coaxing the sparkling to stop ''crying'' and that he was fine now, while Roller only patted the mechling's back struts until they left.

After they had, Optimus had winked at him and wished him a good day in his own language, surprising Roller as no one knew the binary dialect of his kind. Optimus had bounded off, back to his group, only stopping to tell the Minicon his name when the little bot asked.

He had seen something in Optimus that day, in his kindness and ability to understand him, and so he had commed his sister and bonded and informed them that he will be living in Iacon from now on, with his new friend Optimus. Neither were happy with this, but after hearing about the red, blue and silver sparkling, they grew intrigued as much as he had been and they conceded to him staying, as long as he visited from time to time.

And that was how Roller and Optimus met.

The Minicon had then searched for him for two days, driving around the whole of Iacon and not even caring about the sightseeing he had left for in the first place. The city was big but he was persistent and soon, his determination was rewarded in the form of a little red and blue sparkling throwing itself into the arms of the old Mater Archivist, Alpha Trion. The mech had just returned from his trip and had missed the sparkling very much and with the amount of love he was showing the little one, Roller wondered if he would even be welcome with them.

Just as he was going to turn away and give up on being around the sparkling that had been so nice, Optimus noticed him and waved him over. He had then met and talked with Alpha Trion for the first time and before he knew it, he was sharing little Optimus's room with the excited sparkling. It turned out that he was Optimus's first ever friend and he had been so touched when Optimus had asked him if he would also be his best friend.

They never became Amica Endura, as their sparks were too different due to their natures, but they grew up as such. Sure, Roller was already well into his final frame by the time they had met, but with Optimus, he always learned something new and so it felt like he, too, was a maturing sparkling. He never left his side, even when he went into the Academy. He shared the loft with him, making sure he ate and slept appropriately and sometimes even waking him up for class. He met Elita One and Sentinel, of course, but he hadn't really liked them all that much, especially the mech.

But Optimus liked them and Roller had been willing to tolerate them and their strange antics.

However, he never tolerated Sentinel's teasing of Optimus, because even back then it hadn't been fully teasing, but bordering on mean.

After the two dragged Optimus down from his place as the best cadet the Autobot Academy ever had, even though Elita hadn't done it on purpose unlike Sentinel, Roller never got the chance to say by like they had wanted. He was rushed away and Roller didn't see him for many stellar cycles before he was informed that he had gone MIA. Both he and Alpha Trion had stood adamant that he was still alive and so the Elite Guard was forced to go after them. He didn't hear anything from him for 51 stellar cycles, but then, after he had heard of his still functioning status, Roller had been forced to wait another stellar cycle before he could see Optimus.

He had returned a hero, but he was still treated like dirt.

However, something had changed and Optimus hadn't been a pushover anymore. The things he does now are a lot bolder than what he had been doing before their journey, excluding those two instances when he had barged into a Council meeting. He had grown weary of the Coucilmecha and he relied only on Alpha Trion for true information, past or present. Roller had not left his side then, either, always making sure he was healthy.

Then they were kidnapped and one thing lead to another before their whole world was thrown upside down.

Now, they were fighting in a war that should have ended a long time ago.

He was brought back to reality when a big warship almost succeeded in puling an Epsilon Supreme on them. They had almost managed to ram into them and it would have been the end of many Minicon lives and Trypticon's fall. It would have been a loss their army couldn't take and Optimus would have been devastated if he had deactivated, not to mention that he would blame himself for the others's deaths.

::Activate side cannons A-1,D-4 and B-9!:: Leader-1 commanded his mechs and they were quick to follow the orders. ::Aim for the turbo thrusters.::

::I suggest using Type 2 energy weapons.:: Sureshock told her brother by spark.

::That's not going to be enough. Use Type 3 energy weapons or Type 7 shells.::

::But that takes a lot more energy!:: His sister complains. ::If we continue using those, we will lose all power before reinforcements make it!::

::I said to use them only for the turbo thrusters. It's needed, because they're more heavily armored.::

Leader-1 nodded. ::Then do as he says. He has fought Quintessons most recently, so he knows what works best in our favor. Anything else we need to know?::

If he had any true face to speak of, Roller would have grinned at his bonded. ::Well...::

As he explened every weakness he knew of on Quintessonian design of ships, Leader-1 looked at him with proud and loving optics of a very happy and content mate. The battle may still be raging on, but they will win and after that...

Now Leader-1 would have grinned slyly at the way Roller shuddered when he felt his mate's intentions.

00000

Slipstream cursed as yet another seeker had to be brought in to one of the med bays on the Omega Sentinels by Skywarp. Her and her brothers had managed to remain undamaged for the most part, certainly not something that needed to be rushed to Artemis or Ratchet, unlike that poor fellow just now. It spoke of their superior coding as clones of the actual Airlord of Vos that they had avoided such injuries.

Truly, she had only seen the Decepticons on Earth, Optimus and the Jettwins fly before she met the rest of the Decepticon High Command. To her and her brothers, it was completely normal how they moved with such grace and ease. She had thought it common to fly like she did. The Jettwins did, but then again, they were built using Starscream's schematics and coding much like she was.

Megatron seemed like a very powerful individual so she found it hard to imagine him as anything but graceful and controlled.

His henchmechs, not so much.

And then she had seen Optimus fly, and if an Autobot could fly that well, then surely all the other Decepticons should, too.

But they didn't. They weren't fast enough, or maneuverable enough or they simply weren't good enough to avoid all of the attacks sent their way. Sure, she and her brothers and even Starscram himself, had some trouble and quite a few close calls, but they always got away mostly unscratched in the end. Now that she was seeing just how many they were either losing to injuries or to death, she really hoped Optimus would hurry up with those promised reinforcements as she ducted yet another attempt at her life.

00000

The Well was just how he remembered it from when he had last seen it.

The spiraling, climbing path that sparklings had once taken when they left the Allspark and were supposed to meet their families and caretakers was still the same. Gray and meant for groups of small beings to climb it so they would learn to depend on both themselves and on others in order to survive. First friendships were built here, some said. Optimus had climbed out on his own, so he didn't know what that said about him.

The further down they went, the darker the hole got, until it finally lit up with veins of liquid energon waving in and out of the walls, lighting up the space and allowing them to see. At the speed they were traveling, it looked much like passing stars or galaxies did during turbo-speed traveling on a space ship. The blue and pinkish lights made the Well look even more mystic than it already was and Optimus remembered the first time he had flown down this vertical tunnel.

He had been grieving then much like he was now. Solus had offliend due to a freak accident when she was arguing with Megatronus and now his brothers were all fighting amongst each other. Hadn't the loss of Solus been enough? Why weren't they uniting in their grief and mourning their sister, instead of starting a war all by their selves? He understood that Prima and Megatronus were fighting, it's what they do all the time, but it had been becoming more and more energon-thirsty as time went by and Optimus had seen that on a few occasions they would have killed each other had Optimus not stepped in.

They had been distancing themselves and it had finally tore them apart.

He had come to the place where Solus's body had disintegrated the metal alloy of Cybertron, of Primus himself, to pay his respects to his fallen sister and to grieve as much her loss as the loss of the harmony and happiness they had once shared with each other. As he had just stood there, staring into the depths of he new hole, that was when a voice spoke to him, one he had not heard for a very long time ago, the one that had appeared to him only once, on the day of his creation.

 _''Come to me, my greatest creation.''_ It had said. _''Come to me, so I can give you my blessing. So I give you this important task.''_

And he had gone and met Primus's, spark to Spark. He was informed of why he was summoned and of what he must do. That first chat hadn't been the longest and the second one had been tinted with despair from Primus as one of his creations was virtually ripped away from him. That day he had been gifted his wings, different from Onyxe's but resembling the wings one of Nexus's components had.

He was the only creature in the whole of existence that had seen both Primus's and Unicron's Sparks.

The Last Prime was brought out of his musings at the sounds of awe and admiration from his companions and he chuckled behind his battle mask. He guessed that for them, this was quite an experience. And it should be. None of them were sparked in the Well and they never did the Climb. Megatron and Megazarak were sparked for war back in the first days of the official War for Freedom, the one that happened after Prima chased them away the first time. The twins were placed in adult bodies and got all of their programing even before they onlined their optics for the first time. Back then, the Climb was impossible, anyway, as the Quints were always monitoring the Well and the Allspark was not in it.

Sari, on the other hand, had ended up on Earth and had come online as a techno-organic. She had been raised as a human and she hand't even known something like this could exist. Sure, the Allspark had given her some knowledge, but nothing about Cybertron's actual culture. She had no way of knowing about this miraculous place or the number of young sparks that had climbed their way out of the Well in order to start their lives.

They were fast approaching the deepest platform that his companions can reach. They won't be able to go further. Well, no by much. He knew that Megatron and Sari will no doubt follow him, but Primus won't allow them to reach his Spark Chamber. No, only Optimus will finish this journey. The other three will be kicked out by the Creator God himself. Optimus slowed down and the Allspark started opening slowly, the round shape of the once again whole crystal glimmering as it reawakened the platform which was the first thing most sparklings ever see. Vector Sigma acted as a second ''hot spot'' where sparklings could go so that mechs and femmes from the other side of the planet don't have to travel so far to get a sparkling they otherwise couldn't have. Besides, Vector Sigma was only supposed to be used if the Allspark didn't want to give sparklings at the moment, an emergency solution, so to speak. The only other time Vector Sigma was supposed to be used was if there was war and they needed new life before their numbers dwindled too much. It gave the sparklings the chance to at least be mechlings if not sparklings not younglings, unlike the protoforms the Autobots and Decepticons had been making in order to increase their numbers in their armies.

Then again, most of them had probably forgotten all about the sacred place.

The platform reconfigured under their pedes as soon as they landed, preparing itself for its scared duty of holding the Allspark and later on becoming the first stepping ground for new lives. For now, it looked like it was the bottom of the Well, but as soon as Optimus placed to Allspark in its place in one recess in the wall on the north side of the Well, new shifting happened before a new opening was before them, leading to a bright light even further down. Sari, Megatron and Megazarak were in awe of the light and the warmth it spread into their sparks, but Optimus knew what it was and he could hear it calling out to him so he didn't hesitate.

He jumped down, heading for the Core of their planet.

It took two kliks for the others to follow him, but they didn't get that far. They fell with him for another 10-15 mechanometers before they were pushed back by an energy barrier that protected Primus's Spark. Megatron quickly regained his bearings and punched at the invisible wall, trying desperately to go after his bondmate, because the last time Optimus had disappeared like this, he had returned with pained optics. But he could not break through and that had him frustrated.

He did calm when Optimus spoke over their bond. _You need to leave, Megatron._

 _I'm not going anywhere without you, Optimus!_

::There will soon be a big surge of energy heading out of the well and towards the moon above us. If you don't leave, I can't guarantee that you will survive. So get out of here!:: He told them over the comms and Megazarak understood. It did help that he got an additional databurst from his brother by bond, telling him to get everyone out and at least two mechanometers away from the Well as soon as he can.

''But what about you?!'' Sari screamed after Optimus as Megazarak took her into his big servo before grabbing onto Megatron and trying to tug him away.

''I'm not leaving without you, slag it!'' Megatron yelled at his bonded before turning to snarl at his older brother to let go of him, but Megazarak wasn't giving in. He only put more effort in getting Megatron out.

''I'll be fine!'' Optimus called out to them, never breaking his speeding towards the bottom of the Well of Allsparks. The Core was glowing brighter now, welcoming the Last Prime gladly, Primus more than happy to converse with his favorite creation. ::I know what I'm doing!:: They could no longer hear even his thrusters, so he had spoken over the comms. _Trust me, Megatron, I'll come back._

The warlord finally gave in at that, allowing Megazarak to tug him away and upwards. _I'll hold you to that, Optimus._

 _I love you, Megatron._

 _Love you, too, Sweetspark._

And just then, Optimus was out of their sights and Megazarak was hissing at them that they need to get out, now. The twins activated their thrusters and sped up, towards the entrance of the Well, where they can see Luna 3, the only other moon other than Luna 1 and 2 that was visible in Iacon, and only from the edges of the city. When they got out, they saw that Quintessa's ship was heading straight for them, or more correctly, for the Well and they grew worried.

00000

Unknown to them, there was no need to worry.

As soon as they had turned to leave, the Allspark allowed itself to open fully and twelve bright sparks rushed out of the sacred relic, going after Optimus like speeding tracer-rockets. Optimus noticed them as soon as they were beside him, the sparks splitting from each other to circle him. A pinkish-blue one with traces of gold swiveled wildly, excitedly, in front of his face before all but nuzzling him and Optimus relished in the love he felt from Solus's spark after so long. Liege Maxim had settled on his left shoulder strut, the greenish-blue spark with traces of gold content to stay there for the rest of eternity if given the chance. Prima's whitish-blue spark with traces of gold nestled next to Optimus's spark, Megatronus's reddish-blue spark with traces of gold and purple soon joining it.

Despite all their fights and misgivings, Prima and Megatronus had at one point been the closest of friends, understanding each others needs as powerful warriors like no other could. Optimus had half expected Megatronus and Solus to drag the first Prime into their relationship, and they might have done it, too, if they knew that Prima would have loved that.

Optimus more felt than saw Micronus's electric-blue and royal blue spark with traces of gold settle on his helm, between his audio finials. Then he felt Onyx rest on his back plating where his wings came out, the brownish-blue with traces of gold spark standing out on his red and blue-flamed plating. Alchemist's grayish-blue spark with traces of gold clung to one flight stabilizer, while the other was occupied by the yellowish-blue spark with gold traces of Amalgamous. The orange-purplish-blue spark with traces of gold of Vector happily sat on his other shoulder while the greenish-grayish-blue spark with traces of gold that had belonged to Quintus clung to his left servo. Nexus's mostly blue spark highlighted by the colors of the rainbow (representing his components) with traces of gold settled beneath Prima and Megatronus, content to just be near his brother. And a reddish-purplish-blue spark with traces of gold settled into the Last Prime's right servo, Alpha Trion sending reassurances to his youngest brother he had so suddenly left.

Optimus felt coolant tears escape him as he held his brethren closer, feeling whole again, as they seemed to settle deeper into his being, coming to rest beside his spark, hidden and protected by the Matrix of Leadership. A gift from Primus, that allows his children to be safe and together again, something only achievable after Optimus had regained his bond to his old spark. And so the youngest Prime cried softly, and for the first time they were happy tears as he descended into his Carrier's Spark Chamber for the third time in both lives.

For the first time in his second life, he felt _whole_ and _the void was filled._

He was welcomed, no, _they_ were welcomed by Primus's inviting warmth and booming voice. '' _Welcome, my children. You are together once again_.''

The sparks that now rested beside Optimus's pulsed their joy back and Optimus smiled through his coolant tears at the gigantic Spark before him. ''We are, Carrier.''

'' _You have succeed, my greatest creation, like I had not doubted you would_.'' The Creator God told him warmly, his pride in Optimus obvious with the way he spoke. '' _You have united your brothers and you have led your race into a new age of equality, even if you must continue to guide them further_.''

Optimus released a sigh of relief when Primus subtly soothed his fears that he won't be returning from this mission. ''I gladly take this responsibility.''

If Primus could still move, he would have nodded with a smile. '' _Then unite with me, Optimus Prime, so we can revive my brother enough to release the rest of my new children from their involuntary prisons on Unicron's six parts._ '' Primuss Spark extended tendrils of energy that coaxed Optimus closer. '' _Let us briefly Become One, so we can ward off the Invaders From Beyond The Skies and end this too old war_.''

''Are my friends far enough from the Well that the release of energy won't harm them?''

He answered after a klik. '' _They are now, but we must hurry. Quitessa is right above us, ready to shoot into the Well_.'' Optimus felt Quintus quiver with anger at the mention of his creation and betrayer, so he sent soothing vibes at the agitated tenth Prime. He settled for the time being and Optimus returned his attention back to Primus, nodding to his Creator.

''Lets do this, then. It's time to end all of this violence.''

'' _Then come, **Optimus Prime**_.''

Optimus went.

The world exploded in light, filling his very being with a power he had not felt since he was blessed to become the Allspark. It was exhilarating, amazing, beyond words, really. Primus allowed his Spark to guide Optimus through the process, just like last time, as both Carrier and Creations reached out to the Sire, a wave of energy going through all fourteen of them as they longed for the presence of the fifteenth being older than time.

And then a pillar of light reach out of the well, going straight for the moon overhead.

Optimus didn't know it at the time, but they had struck Quintessa and her ship, bringing them crashing down some 30 mechanometers away. He wasn't aware of the rest of both armies stopping for a second to watch as the pillar reached Luna 3 and the moon lit up like a Christmas light, glowing almost as brightly as Haden, before it extended its own pillars of light to the other moons over Cybertron. One by one, all six Lunas were soon glowing like miniature stars, creating a crystal shaped shield around Cybertron, the planet becoming illuminated by their combined light.

No, Optimus was not aware of that.

He was aware of the slowly waking Chaos Bringer as his body activated, as his plating shifted as soon as he realized his brother was in danger, aware of the anger Unicron felt at the sight of these aliens once again trying to conquer his brother. Unicron, unlike Primus, had went into a full stasis after Prima had chased away the Quintessons the first time around, falling into a type of hibernation when one more spark of his children was offlined. He became oblivious to what was happening, so he didn't realize that the Quintessons had returned once more, or that there had been a civil war on the planet below him.

However, now his whole family was sharing their memories with him and Primus's self-proclaimed protector was going to bring Pit.

Massive transformations seams moved, opened and out came various Cybernetic beings, all of Cybertronian origin. From Luna 2, another hundred warships, all very similar in build to Trypticon, came out and immediately joined the fight, Leader-1's creators more than happy to go to their son's rescue. Luna 4 opened up as well, and as massive weapons were climbing out from under the plating, millions of Predacons and Dinobots came rushing out, the fliers immediately going where the Quintessonian spaceships were and attacking them with their fire and brute strength. They were even stronger than Grimlock, the Dinobot Leader from Earth now seeming like the sparkling he really was. Predaking and his SIC and TIC, Darksteel and Skylynx, dove for Cybertron, attacking the ships that were giving the Iaconian forces trouble. From Luna 3 came out hordes and hordes of Insecticons, the big bugs screeching as they tore into their enemies, both Sparkeaters and Quintessons, the Qvotus too weak to even reach them. Hardshellm and his brothers Sharpshot and Kickback, were leading the assault with a glee that matched that of the Decepticons when they realized they finally had the promised backup. Luna 1 released beings that were thought of as drones during the wars, Vehicons and Eradicons, all identical fliers and grounders, joined the fray, the Vehicons being deployed to guard the cannons that were emerging from all six moons onto the surface. Luna five opened up and revealed hundreds of thousands combiners, who had been thought of as freaks of nature on a Autobot-controlled Cybertron, and Luna 6 had been the secret home to shifters, descendants of Amalgamous, who had the ability to change into more than one alt mode, who could rearrange their appearances so that they were almost completely different mechs, Pit, some of them could even change to such a level that a mech looked like a femme and vice verse!

And they had all been kicked off planet by either the Senate or the Council.

Before the squids could reset their optics or blink their eyes, the Cybertronian forces outmatched them, in sheer numbers, hundred to one, not counting on how much stronger they were than the Quints.

Quintessonian ships fell one by one, any resistance futile as the up until now imprisoned mechs and femmes tore through their ranks as easily as the DJD and the Phase Sixers did. Wreckers teamed up with the combiners, Minicons fought for themselves with their own fleets, Insecticons protected Autobots and shifters looked out for the Decepticons.

And then the weapons on the six moons fired and more than half of the remaining Quintesson forces were destroyed. It was amazing how none of the Cybertronians were deactivated when such gigantic weapons fired. And then Cybertron's own plating shifted, revealing just as big cannons as on the moons and any remaining Quintesson ships that had breached the atmosphere were taken down. Later, they will see that the squids were all only in stasis, but for now, they cheered as more and more of their enemies were taken down.

Now, Cybertron itself was glowing, a beacon in the dark Universe. A warning not to come with bad intentions, because you will be stopped by the planet itself.

And in the middle of it all was Optimus, glowing like his creators were. His chest plates were wide open, the Matrix of Leadership acting as a solid bond between the two that were once The One, his brethren circling his spark as their home world was defended. He could hear the Allspark singing overhead, and not just the deceased or the unborn, but all of the sparks of every Cybertronian in the Universe. They were all united in him now, their voices ringing in his audios, his optics blazing white with power as the world around hims blurred and he saw things through the optics of millions upon millions of mechs a femmes. He felt them all, he saw them all through optics of their companions and he saw all those who had fallen, all those who have yet to live their first life.

Outside of the Well, but still close by, Megatron, Megazarak and Sari could do nothing more nut stare as what they had practically scuffed at was proven the truth right before them. There was no denying what they were seeing, they would have to be blind not to see this for what it was. Primus and Unicron were waking up to the demands of a single mech and it was both fascinating and terrifying to think that only two beings in the entire Universe had known about the only right way to do it.

Whatever Optimus and Alpha Trion were hiding, it must have been top secret information.

And something tells Megatron that they had just _began_ to scratch the surface to the _rest_ of their secrets.

He was brought out of his musings by his battle protocols flashing red in front of his optics, alerting him to danger, just as a laser gun fired at his helm. Had he not been a mature warframe, he wouldn't have been able to duck out of the way in time and would either have ended up offline or severely damaged and unable to fight. Luckily, he was a mature, experienced warframe, so the Decepticon warlord evaded the shot just in time.

Sari gasped in shocked surprise and Megazarak cursed behind him as all three of them took in the sight of the shooter, who was now throwing away the damaged, crackling gun. It was a femme, a beautiful one that would have turned many amecha's helms had there not been six tentacles, three on each side of her middle and lower back, swirling around her in clear sign of aggression and anger. She looked a lot like Artemis, all sharp features but with more feminine attributes to both her face and to her body. The shade of green that burned in her enraged optics reminded Megatron more of the young Prince, Thamast, but their angle was definitely something the femme shared with what must be her brother. She was half a helm taller than Artemis, meaning that she reached Megatron's shoulder, and despite her slight built, her movements belied a greater strength than one would imagine when looking at her.

Megatron cursed as he realized that he was now staring down Quintessa, the Queen of the Quintessons herself, and she was not happy.

"So you are the one who has been making things difficult for me?" The Quintesson femme scuffed, a nasty sneer on her faceplate. "You are no Prime! You're just another Decepticon."

The warlord sneered right back, deeply insulted by the comment and feeling a possible threat to his bonded. "I am Megatron,SuSupreme Leader of all Decepticons and the leader of a Galactic Council recognized empire. I would think I am abit more than an 'ordinary Decepticon'."

Quintessa laughed at him as she drew two swords, one almost the length of her body and broad like her servo, the other slightly longer than her stabilizers but a lot slimmer and probably lighter. Both blades caught the mystical lights in a menacing way as she put them at the ready, the lighter one over her helm and the big one vertically in front of her, from hip to hip. "To me, you're just another Cybertronian bug I need to squash."

Megatron drew his own twin swords, the ruby red jewles at the hilt reflecting the light, as if in anticipation to be used to destroy another enemy. "You will find that I don't squash that easy. "

Quintessa's smile could have cut diamonds. "We shall see." And that was all the warning Megatron got before she lunged at him, taking him by surprise with her speed. You'd think that for someone her build, carrying that giant sword around would have slowed her down, but it would appear that not only was she well trained, but that Quintus has taken care to give his creations the speed and strength to at least stand side by side as almost equals on the battlefield. Of course, he had probably never planed for them to fight each other...

Megatron found himself mostly trying to evade the ffemme's smaller sword while, at the same time, also doing his best to knock the big sword out of her other servo. That thing was as an affective defence as it was an offence. And if she took a swing at him with it...

Quintessa was clearly enjoying this. This was the best fight she has had in ages, ever since the end of their first assault on Cybertron, when the second of the First 100 died by Prima's sword. He had been her favorite, if she was honest, her equal almost. He had trained with her for joors on end until they had decided that she was ready to fight their creator. It would have never been enough against any other warrior Prime, such as Prima, Onyx or Megatronus, and Solus would have killed her just for daring to interrupt her work, but it was more than enough for a pacifist and life-loving Quintus.

How she despised himand his race. They had the greatest planet with unlimited resources and protecting moons that shielded the surface from further solar flares and storms. They had the ability to transform into any mechanical form. They had sparks.

What did Quintus give his new creations? Nothing,if you asked her. He made them to be slaves to his own race and as long as her people believe that lie, that propaganda, she will be able to siege Cybertron as many times as she could. She hated Quintus for never wanting to expend their territory, for not wanting to give them all the information they needed to live as the perfect beings that they should be. She hated how he hated violence and fighting.

And so she decided to break them of the shackles of his rule and instead took the power into her own servos after she killed him. Then she went to Cybertron and they were defeated, then they went again and succeeded for a short period of time, but Megatronus had to go and ruin everything! It took them so long to reproduce the population he had killed in order to save Cybertron.

Artemis called him a brave, noble warrior.

Quitessa called him a menace.

And while she will never be able to get revenge on him, she guessed that the mech named after him that has been causing so much trouble will have to had to give it to him. Megatron was a gladiator till the end. He had received quite a bit of damage and yet he was still fighting. Quitessa has heard of him and had he not been sentenced to death or slavery, as she had presumed he would be in Autobot hands, the Queen would have gladly made him her new heir's sire. Not that the proud warframe would ever accept her as a lover, not willingly anyway, but Quintessa had her ways of "convincing" others.

The silver mech before her would of definitely been worth all the trouble it would entail.

Quintessa grinned feraly at the Decepticon warlord, making him glare at her for all that he's worth. "You're quite a piece of work, my advisory." She all but purred, making Megatron curl his intake up in disgust. She just laughs as she finally manages to make him lose some of the ground he'd been holding all along. "You may not be a Prime," she continued as she stalked him step by step. "But you're just as delicious and rewarding find as one would be." She swiped at his pedes with her longer sword, this time succeeding in knocking his stabilizers out from underneath him and Megatron toppled over and down like a cut down tree. "I'll enjoy making you my personal slave."

Before either of them could react in any way, Megazarak has tackled Quintessa around the waist and was hoisting them both up in the air, the Quintesson Queen screaming in fury and partially from fright. The older twin would not allow anyone do that to his brother, so he took matters into his own servos.

"How dare you touch me, miscreant of a malfunction?!"

Megazarak snarled when her shorter sword stabbed him in the right stabilizer, cutting off the thrusters in that pede and almost sending them crashing into the ground. If this was happening just after his discovery of his beloved little enforcer's treachery, Megazarak would have been more than happy to take the fall for the Cause, even if he would be reluctant to leave his brother alone; Megatron may have friends and loyal followers and would one day get a Conjunx Endura, but nothing could ever replace a bond one shares with a sibling, especially not one shared by split-spark twins.

Besides, he had met his beautiful Ultra, as well.

Before he could warn the insane femme about the dangers of her damaging his other stabilazer, Quintessa let out a mighty sounding battle cry and almost sliced his whole lower left pede off. Megazarak let loose a static filled howl of pain that had Megatron's helm snapping up in an instant. Quintessa broke free from his hold a few mechanometers above the ground and landed with a roll, while the gray, dark blue and purple mech crash landed a little further away.

"Megazarak!" Both Megatron and Sari called to the other warframe, but Megazarak made no move nor did he send a reply. His stabilizers were smoking and he was heavily dented and scratches covered his frame. All in all, the injuries should be considered almost superficial, something that would heal in a matter of joors with good care and some energon.

Yet Megazarak's optics were dark.

Panic gripped Megatron's spark and he would have charged at Quintessa out of rage and thirst for vengeance had Sari, having had enough with this whole thing, not beat him to the punch.

"Sari, no!"

But the girl wasn't listening and so she tried to fight, even created quite a few injuries, before Quintessa used the blunt side of her bigger sword and swatted her away like an organic fly.

The girl didn't get up, but Megatron could still see her little chest moving up and down in clear signs of life.

Quintessa turned back to him and jammed the sword he had raised to stab her with both of her own before twisting it out of his servo and throwing it a good ways away. "Now," She all but purred as she placed the smaller sword under his chin, straddling his hips and leaning over his body until their faceplates were uncomfortably, intimately close and Megatron growled up at her but was expertly ignored. She grinned lecherously down at him. "Where were we?"

She was just about to try and kiss him when the metal plating that made up Cybertron's surface and the ground they walked on shook before the Well exploded with light.

And when the light died down, in front of them hovered one pissed off Prime, artifacts out and ready to end this.


	33. Chapter 33

**War as Old as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

 **A/N: Hi there! I know it's been a while, but I have been on vacation and couldn't update for a while. So, here is the second to last chapter. I hope you have enjoyed the story so far, because we are regrettably at the end, but fear not! I have new ideas and a second story should be out within a week of the last chapter of this one. I hope you will enjoy it as much as you have this one and I would be very happy if I heard from you all wonderful readers again for that story as well! It''l be a one-shot, but I have longer stories planned for later as well, so...**

 **This chapter contains the final end of this war, Megatron's reaction to the truth and a few other surprises! It is unfortunately a bit shorter, but there was no need for more. There's only the last chapter now, so stay tuned!**

 **Anyways, for now, that's it.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter and please read and review!**

 **Onto the story we go!**

Optimus was pissed.

While he had been waking up his Sire and freeing the rest of their race, Quintessa decided to make a move on his bonded! If he hasn't been pissed before for all the other things she has done, this would have been more than enough to warrant the Hunter being drawn out, as far as Optimus was concerned.

As soon as he had felt Megatron's revulsion, he had asked Primus to ask Unicron just what was going outside the Well, where his sparkmate should be (and if that wasn't met with the most variating reaction from his family, nothing would), and his Creators were both happy to oblige. When he took in what was going on, Optimus had immediately took off, out of Primus's Spark and spark chamber, upwards in the Well of Allsparks and out in the open, bringing a new wave of light with him as Primus's blessing.

There, he was greeted with the sight that made him extremely grateful that he had used the travel time to arm himself to the teeth, as the human saying goes.

The Lenses covered his optics under the Predator, Requiem Blaster out and charged, Transformation Cog glowing as it prepared to shrink bigger artifacts into his subspace or return them to their rightful size on their way out. The Chimera Stone was already crackling with energy, the Star Saber almost warm to the touch. All of Nexus's swords were ready and waiting to be used while Amalgamous's Scythe was already partially shifting through the transformations. The Hunter was positively HUMMING to be used and the Liege Darts were all but sharpening themselves.

They were all responding to the call of Optimus Prime's burning rage. With the other Primes long offline and their sparks all resting beside his, Optimus was now the only creature in the Universe that can wield them. No artifact was idle, even the ones not primarily meant for battle. They hummed at his proximity and begged for his touch.

It meant that, besides his Creators, Optimus was the most powerful being in existence.

And Quintessa had just managed to piss him off.

Even more than before, that is.

Said femme was terrified, that much he could see, but she was doing her best to hide it from him. She wore a sneer on a faceplate that might have been considered beautiful and her green optics were forming a glare that was made ineffective due to the fear showing through in their glow. It was disconcerting how much she resembled his loyal, peaceful Artemis, what with the hatred he could see in her.

He glared at her and her position on his bonded's waist. Not even he has had the opportunity to sit there! He wasn't ashamed to admit that he was currently very jealous and the Matrix flared to life to reassure him, followed by his mate's own reassurance over their bond and Megatron's relief at his reappearance and his confusion as to what was going on. "You are trespassing, Quintessa. I'll give you a breem to leave with the remainder of your forces. Use it wisely."

Quintessa just laughs in his face, settling more comfortably on Megatron as she regarded him, some of her fear abating. "So, old, malfunctioning Alpha Trion decided to pass some knowledge to a lesser bot in order to continue the line of the Primes, did he? What a desperate attempt at scaring me! I do not fear Primes, especially pretenders."

"Too bad for you then. I'm not a pretender." And wasn't Megatron just shocked at the cold tone from his usually warm and welcoming mate. This wasn't something that he has had experience with when it came from Optimus! It was like he was a whole different person!

Then again, Optimus had been acting differently ever since he went into that asteroid field.

But why did he sound like Quintessa destroyed everything he cares about?

The femme was laughing on the warlord's stomach, an ugly, insane sound that made her appear even more deranged than she probably was. "Oh, really now? Then perhaps a Prime willingly possessed an innocent mech just so they can face me? And then you're off, preaching about the right thing to do and what is the wrong way to deal with a situation! Hypocrisy in its highest form."

And now Megatron didn't know what to think let alone what to believe. Could this be true?

And then he felt that familiar presence in the back of his mind, the one that belongs to Optimus and he felt relief until he recognized other presences along his. It must be how Optimus felt Megazarak through Megatron, giving them a bond, the one called the bond of siblings by spark. But Megatron and Megazarak were spark twins, it kinda went with the package, so how did Optimus now have the same closeness to TWELVE other mechs?! And then he remembered that one conversation about what he would have to do if he wanted to be Optimus's bonded and he had to wonder if the presences he felt now were of those same bots Optimus had mentioned?

"I can't deny the presence of other Primes along side my own spark, but it is as far from possession as can be. I'll give you one last warning before I chase you off planet myself."

Quintessa chuckled evily as she finally got off of Megatron and the Decepticon sighed in relief. "I dare you to try, little Autobot."

Optimus's optics flashing was the last thing either gray mechanism saw before Quintessa was tackled off of Megatron.

00000

Slipstream would have cursed up a storm had she not been aboard Alpha Supreme, once again in Artemis's med bay as said Quint fixed up one of her wings. The procedure was painful enough without being hit on the back of the helm every time she said a bad word, thank you very much!

She had been both very lucky and very unfortunate at the same time. She had made the deadly mistake to fly into the crossfire of Peaceful Tyranny and one of her intended preys, getting stuck in between the DJD and the squids. However, she would not allow herself to retreat like a coward when she could help.

So she had stayed, separated from her brothers and the rest of the seekers, and she had been quite helpful, if she did say so herself! Unfortunately, a Quint got lucky enough to get in a good shot at her wing, almost sending her crashing into one of the smaller vessels, had it not been for an unexpected savior.

He was staring at her now through the slits of his mask, studying her with the same intensity she had noticed Overlord stare at Optimus with, only with less sadism. Those red optics were still clearly showing their owner's still present lust for destruction and Quintesson deaths, yet the massive mech made no move to leave Artemis's workstation without the status of her current condition.

And it was starting to annoy her. "Do you mind!?"

The Phase Sixer and DJD leader smirked at her agitation and only settled more comfortably on the free berth across from hers. "Not at all, femmeling. My mechs are doing just fine even without me monitoring their every invent."

Slipstream's hackles only raised further at his smugness. "Why you little!"

"I believe that it's you who is little, femmeling." If at all possible, the smirk only got bigger. Tarn's red optics were twinkling in delight at how railed up he was getting the usually composed femme seeker.

And now Slipstream understood Optimus's revulsion to being called "little Autobot" or just "Autobot". It was annoying and most of the time rather degrading and she was sure that if it wouldn't cost her her life, she would gladly offline this bastard. He has been calling her femmeling ever since he scooped her up before she crashed into that vessel. The fact that she was Megatron's bonded's TIC and trine mate didn't faze him anymore than his status as the strongest of the Phase Sixers or the Leader of the Decepticon Justice Division fazed her. She has been screaming his audio receptors off for the whole ten breem flight to Alpha Supreme and yet he has only talked once ("Don't worry, femmeling. I've got you now.") while he has been laughing at her threats as he flew them to Optimus's SIC and primary medic.

To say that Artemis had been shocked to see them, Slipstream in Tarn's arms bridal style, would have been the understatement of the vorn.

He hadn't left her side since, only proceeding to annoy her with his very presence.

And now he dared mock her interfacing equipment!

Sure, she knew that as a clone, she was on the default setting of the Autobot produced protoforms and she, as well as her brothers, have only valves opposed to having the standard Decepticon spikes. The coding in their protoforms was too strong and too deep for even a spark to change it.

But that doesn't mean Tran gets to make fun of her for it!

"FRAGGER! Just wait until I get my servo- OWW! Artemis!" She threw a betrayed look at her fellow officer, not believing he was going to scold her in front of Tarn of all people!

"Slipstream, hold still and don't curse. It's the rules of this ship and you know it. Tarn, don't agitate her, or else I'll throw you out like a torpedo." Artemis said with a don't-mess-with-me-or-else look on his gray, sharp features, raising an optical ridge at the Phase Sixer in challenge.

Tarn looked rather impressed. "You're quite brave, for someone fighting against their own race."

The Quintesson in question scowled. "My 'race' died a long time ago, at my Lord Prima's own servo, though I hadn't been considering them as such a long time before their first attack on your kind. The only ones even remotely like me are my sister, Quintessa, and her only offspring, Thamast. And it is still hard for me to even think of us as related, what with all the horrors they have committed. And they expect me to join them? I am only loyal to my Lord Quintus and his brethren! No one else!"

"Yet you stand by Optimus Prime's side?"

Artemis looked the Decepticon straight in the optics, but didn't say anything until he finished the repairs to Slipstream's wing. "There. You should be fine now. You can even go back in battle, as long as you stay away from the front lines. Anything feels strange, anything itches or falls out of place, you get her right back here," he told the mech because he knew Slipstream would never admit that she can't go on while others were still fighting. "I don't care if you have to drag her, Tarn. You take her back here the instant she seems off. Slipstream, give him your comm link frequency," he ignored her sputtering at the command. "Dismissed." Ha waved them out, cleaning up the med bay for possible future patients.

The two Decepticons walked through the hallways of the Axalon, side by side, their shoulders nearly brushing with every step. It was surprisingly nice and not at all awkward as Slipstream had imagined it to be and it was only for this reason that she spoke.

"Tarn?" She called and looked up to see if she had his attention, only to be surprised when she realized that his optics had been trained on her ever since they exited the med bay. Actually, ever since he saved her from an untimely death.

What the frag?

::Tarn's been staring at me.:: She sent to Blurr, over the comms. ::Like, a lot.::

Her answer was a snicker from the other end. ::Maybe he likes you?:: Slipstream rolled her optics at the teasing but she somehow couldn't seem to chase away the thought. But there was no way Tarn of the DJD would take a liking to a clone. Right?

"Yes?" His voice snapped her out of her musings and she sent a 'not funny' data pack to her speedy crew mate before focusing on the tank mech.

"I ... Thank you, for saving me. With everything that Optimus has been through, especially as of late, he wouldn't have been able to ... endure ... carrying a part of my spark if I had offlined. And he doesn't deserve to suffer through another loss he will blame himself for."

Slipstream jerked to a stop when a large servo took hold of her upper arm and yanked her around to face Tarn. His face couldn't be seen under the Decepticon mask but his optics burned with something that sent thrills through the femme jet's whole body.

"I didn't do it for him." Was all he said as he gently touched their forehelms together. Slipstream felt her spark beat faster and she briefly wondered if Tarn can hear it. It sure did feel like it was going to break free from her chassis and waltz off. "I saw that you weren't afraid of me and I didn't want to lose that. You're my first intended. Slipstream."

The sound of her name in his voice caused shivers to run up and down her spinal struts before she pushed away from him. "I am most certainly not!"

Tarn only smirked at her denial. He has seen that she was at least the tiniest bit interested. He won't be letting her go so easily, especially since she was the first other than Megatron, Strika and her own little leader, Optimus (who somehow is immune to his voice), who knew of him but didn't fear him unless given a personal reason to. Oh yes, she was a special one.

"We shall see. Femmeling."

That got him his desired reaction.

"I have a name and I now know that you know it!"

Tarn just laughs as Slipstream rants at him all the way to the docking bay, where they exited the shipformer and re-entered the battle.

And if Slipstream stuck close to Tarn, well, everyone was too busy to call her out on it.

00000

Prowl cursed as he nearly got hit again by one of the Quintessons while dodging the next blow.

It was hectic, put simply in one word, but even that was a gross understatement. They were all but surrounded by the enemy near central Iacon, but thankfully they had gotten some backup after that pretty light show.

Then again, it was the Autobot forces that actually needed the backup.

Cyber ninjas worked best either ON their own or WITH their own.

As soon as they had been deployed to this sector, Yoketron sent out a transmission to all of his other, surviving students and before Prowl knew it, he, Jazz, Lockdown and Yoketron were joined by over two dozen mechs and femmes, some of which he had seen as statues of his master's greatest students and others he never heard of. The Decepticon Oil Slick did surprise him, but Lockdown was quick to explain that the chemist lost interest and never finished his training.

And as they assembled there, Prowl, for the first time, realized just what it means to be a cyber ninja. He wasn't very sure of what he thought of the calling now that he realized that it used to entail them being paid murderers and thieves, but apparently Yoketron wasn't like his own master and the teaching became more life saving and peaceful, although he did allow it to be a part of the war effort.

He also had his first taste of jealousy.

There was a black and gray civilian femme that had joined the Decepticons, Night Bird, who has trained with Lockdown and seemed to be very interested in being something more than just fellow cyber ninjas with him. Lockdown didn't seem to notice her deeper intentions when she flirted with him and just flirted right back, annoying Prowl to no end.

It didn't help that he was praising her skills. He never praised Prowl's skills, not that he needed him to, although it would be nice. It took a toil on his self confidence when Lockdown chose Night Bird to be his partner on the battlefield instead of Prowl. The black and gold ninjabot had thought that the bounty hunter would jump at the opportunity to spend some alone time with him, since they were going in pairs, as he has been doing since the beginning of this whole ordeal.

And those two worked perfectly with each other, taking down fighting drone after fighting drone with little difficulty, easily working around each other or completing one another's moves. It bothered him. It actually managed to make Prowl miss a target that was rushing at him, nearly killing him had Lockdown not appeared at his side, almost like by magic, to save him. Then he proceeded to yell at Prowl and, having had enough of his strange new behavior, Prowl had pushed away from Lockdown and told him that it was "none of his Primus slagged business" and that he should "go back to his new partner" before returning to where Jazz was having some trouble. His friend gave him a sympathetic look but, bless him, didn't say anything other than a "good ta have ya here" before they both returned their attention to the fight.

He ignored any tries of Lockdown's at contacting him since, instead focusing on the fight.

He was still slacking in comparison to Night Bird and that both vexed him and disheartened him because he knew that Lockdown has initially become interested in him because of his skill.

So deep in his own thoughts, Prowl didn't see yet another projectile heading his way and he would have been scrap had a weak imitation of Optimus's grapplers not caught him by the pede and dragged him out of the way. Prowl gasped as he was clutched to a strong and somewhat familiar chassis, an up-until-recently-hooked servo holding him in place.

"Do you want to get slagged, kid?!" Lockdown's voice rumbled through both their chassis and Prowl couldn't hold back a shiver. "Primus, Prowl! Are you trying to get me a spark-attack?"

"Like you would even care if something were to happen to me!" Prowl snapped right back, sick and tired of the older bot's games. "You have Night Bird, so why even bother to save me?!" The visored mech regretted the words as soon as they left his vocalizer, even more so when he heard the surprised hiss come from the mech holding him.

The green warframe didn't waste a second before he led them somewhere safe. As soon as he deemed them secure, he turned to the smaller bot and all but pinned him to the ruined wall of a tall tower they were hiding behind.

"Okay, kid, you're gonna tell me who gave ya that crazy idea and why the Pit would you believe them?"

It was a mixture of a hiss and a growl, but the Autobot wasn't scared. It was funny how he hadn't been scared of Lockdown even when they first met. In fact, Prowl felt safer here, with him, than he did anywhere else but at Optimus's side. No one could outmatch the safety the red and blue mech radiated, though, so it was a bit unfair for Lockdown to compare him to the Prime.

"No one told me anything, but the way you've been acting has spoken enough, for everyone."

"And how had I been acting that's given you the impression that I don't care for you, kid?" There was a somewhat dangerous tone in the green mech's voice, a "thread cautiously" kind of tone and Prowl reset his vocalizer.

"Running off with Night Bird, for instance. The way you act around her. The way you flirt with her..."

With every word that left his intake, Prowl saw Lockdown's expression soften and then a smile slowly grew on his white faceplate. However, he didn't see it coming when the bounty hunter swooped down and kissed him, hard, right on the mouth and all Prowl could do was gasp and the moan or mewl as a big glossa sneaked into his intake. By the time they drew apart, Prowl almost couldn't even remember his own designation, let alone anything else.

Why was he angry with Lockdown again?

The bounty hunter smirked down at him. "Look, Prowl. I don't care for others. Ever. Yet you've made me care for you and that's somethin'. I'll join the Well of Allsparks before I chose someone else over you. The only reason why I am now working with Night Bird is because we trained together and we know, somewhat, what the other will do. We know what to expect. Besides, we were the grunt team. We took on the first attacks all by ourselves and that's something I didn't want you involved with. You're good, Prowl, real good, but you lack the needed experience for you to take on a such a role. As soon as you get a bit more experience, I'll be taking you as my partner. As in, _partner_ partner. I promise I won't take another partner after you are ready. Not even if you decided to go off with someone else, though you should be prepared to seeing me every day, either way. I'm not letting ya go so easily.''

Prowl blushed as he realized that he had overreacted and he felt a need to apologize to the other mech but they were interrupted by the arrival of Night Bird. The femme took one good look at them and scowled.

"We are risking our afts out there while you two are fraging!? Are you two malfunctioning!?"

Lockdown smirked but before he could say anything, Prowl cut him off. "You're right, Night Bird. It was selfish of us to decide now was the time to settle a matter. We'll be out in a nanosec."

The femme raised an optic ridge at him, skeptical. "You're a strange one." Was all she said before she all but disappeared in a whirl of wind and dust, leaving the two mechs trying to cough up the dirt that was now clogging their vents. Lockdown managed to get out something along the lines of "I think the glitch is mad" among the wheezing of his vents and Prowl couldn't help but laugh, even though it hurt like Pit right now.

00000

Quintessa didn't expect him to be so ferocious. Good. She thought him as an ordinary Autobot that was picked out for good leadership skills by Alpha Trion. Sure, it had happened with three others, but he was not like them. Unlike Nova, Nominus and Sentinel Zeta, he was not a Prime chosen for one war, for one purpose that is leading their people out of, or in to in one case, shackles. He was not chosen to lead millions into battle. He was not chosen to conquer other worlds. He was not chosen to scare the population into thinking that the Era of Primes was not over, wasn't chosen so that the "Dynasty" would continue even after the deaths of the Thirteen.

No, Optimus was born, from Primus's plating and Spark, to one day become the Allspark and give life to thousands of generations of Cybertronians before returning to lead them at some point. Optimus's mere existence was a miracle, as it should have been impossible to extract his spark from the Allspark as they were one.

But not only because of that, no.

Optimus had never been a part of Primus's grand plan to begin with. When he had been creating his twelve children, he had not expected them to start fighting amongst themselves, nor did the god expect a Thirteenth creation to be born at his unrest as Primus watched his Primes. When the Last Prime was born and before he was sent to his brethren, the red and blue mech had been wrapped up in confusion and happiness and even the hope of his Carrier that this Thirteenth creation is what will end all chaos and maybe even reunite him with his brother.

But first, could he unite these twelve oh so different siblings of his?

Optimus did not disappoint and lived up to his name of being the last and greatest Prime. One sentence containing three words was enough to unite the Primes around their precious youngest brother and they loved him and taught him everything they knew, never wanting him to be in a situation where he would not be able to find a safe solution for himself.

And that was why Optimus was whopping Quintessa's aft right now.

For all that the Quintessons have created a "new" fighting technique, it was still heavily based on what Quintus himself had taught them. There was no other way for them to fight, even if they wanted to. Facing a varying number of tentacles would be challenging enough for a good, Cybertronian warframe fighter, no matter their experience or the number of opponents they have defeated. Prima and Megatronus themselves had helped Quintus develop that style, with the occasional help from Liege Maximo, Onyx or Nexus, although the rest of them helped, too, only not so often.

So to Optimus, fighting Quintessa now was equal to sparkling-play.

The Predator had already shown him all her weak spots from either injuries or the incompetence of her own training. She was good, good enough to defeat his bonded, but Optimus wasn't fighting like an Autobot commander anymore. He was fighting like a Prime and no one can stand up to a Prime on a mission. His brothers have mostly died by their own servo, by their own will.

A Prime can't really be killed by another who is not a Prime.

When his brothers had been faced with a situation that could benefit their race more with their death than their survival, each and every one of them had made the necessary sacrifice without hesitation. They did it so Optimus's own sacrifice wouldn't be in vain. They allowed their deaths to happen so one day they could all be together again.

And now that they were, there was no force in the Universe that could possibly hope to stop them.

Megatron could do nothing but watch as his bonded fought Quintessa. He watched as Optimus outmaneuvered the Quintesson Queen's every move with a surprising and deathly ease, making the femme growl at him. It was like witnessing something that had been gone for ages, since there was no way those moves either of them were using were from any modern style of fighting. The Decepticon Lord watched as Optimus easily avoided the tentacles and pinned Quintessa back to the ground, although the femme got up after she groped at Optimus's neck wires. Quintessa was the one to charge this time, but Optimus just generated some sort of energy field that repelled her with ease, sending the femme flying across the field around the Well.

Optimus came to a stop beside him, looking Megatron over with concerned optics, partially visable even under the beastly mask and that strange visor Megatron had seen him wear once. In his servo was a sword Megatron had only caught a glimpse of that one time he had sent that young Quintesson into space. The other hand was clutching a strange spear that looked like it was made only for Optimus. The big cannon was there, too, and the rest of the strange things Optimus carried around were on his utility belt.

"Are you alright?"

Megatron shook off the shock and stared his bonded down. "Is what she said true? Did Alpha Trion choose you to be the next Prime?" The title was all but spat out and the warlord almost didn't notice the smaller mech's flinch. Anyone else would have missed it, but Megatron knows he wasn't imagining things. For one, he has studied his once opponent rather closely during their many fights on Earth so he is fairly sure that he would recognize the motion if it happens.

Secondly, they are bondmates and just before Optimus had closed off his end with a snap, Megatron had recognized his discomfort and fear, so the Decepticons knew with utmost certainty that whatever Optimus had been hiding with Alpha Trion, it was not something Megatron would agree with.

"You do realize that your silence is answer enough!" Megatron snapped at the red and blue mech and Optimus hid another flinch to the best of his ability. "I can't believe you! You preach on and on about a world of equality, but you're just planning on reversing Cybertron back to the caste system! I thought at least you were sincere, but it would seem that I might have been wrong." The gray mech sneered up at the stricken Prime, but before he could even contemplate on severing the bond (despite never wanting to lose the ability to feel Optimus so close), Optimus stopped him with five simple but world altering words.

"I was born a Prime." Now that Megatron was focused on him, Optimus didn't dare stop. "My name is Optimus Prime, the Thirteenth creation of Primus meant to fight Unicron. I am older than time and more powerful than any and all other weapons in existence. I am the original Allspark and the only bearer of the Matrix of Leadership. I united my brethren and quenched my Sire's rage, returning him to my Carrier. I am the youngest and Last Prime that will ever exist. I gave up my own life in order to prevent the deaths of the rest of my brothers and to create new life. I have been reborn like this, with no memory, to unite the Cybertronian race and lead them into a peaceful era that has existed among me and my siblings only before our fight with Unicron."

"But... How do you have any memories now, if what you're saying is true?" Megatron asked after a full breem of silence.

Optimus only opened both their bond and his spark chamber. The Matrix glowed happily beside his spark, blue with traces of gold, and twelve other sparks were nestled against it. Megatron could do nothing but stare at the sparks nestled against the ancient relic, his CPU and processor glitching and his mind all but blown. Optimus started worrying when smoke started exiting his bonded's helm but Megatron had asked and Optimus had promised himself that as soon as he demanded answers, Optimus would give them. The Last Prime didn't like others sugarcoating things for him, so he gave as good as he hoped to get. Besides, he had yet to feel the instant rejection he had been expecting...

Maybe this won't end so badly.

''The Matrix was among the other items I found in that asteroid field. The second I was near it, it all but jumped into my chest and nestled where it is now. The reason I was so shaken after I came back was because I remembered that I should have eleven siblings but only one had been alive... Then Alpha Trion had died as well and I am now truly living up to my title as the Last Prime.''

And the sadness in his bonded's voice and spark kick-started Megatron's processor and he reached out to comfort him, but he wasn't the only one. The Matrix reacted first, then Megatron and the other twelve sparks were racing to see who will comfort Optimus first. He was surprised that his bond with Optimus allowed him to feel every Prime individually and that he could recognize them. Every single one of them all but physically glared at him, even the one he recognized as Alpha Trion, and wasn't that just strange, thinking that he had been spending such a long time on a ship with not one, but two Primes! Two true Primes!

And he was bonded to one!

And as he was trying to comfort his lover, Megatron stumbled upon that little nest of uncertainty and fear that Optimus harbored at the thought of the possibility of Megatron's reaction being negative and the rejection of their bond. Megatron stopped dead in his tracks, the Primes getting to their brother first and Optimus must have not even noticed Megatron's efforts because he just looked away.

Perhaps it was for the best, because he caught sight of Quintessa lunging just in time to avoid a deadly sword.

00000

Bumblebee whooped as he and the rest of the Autobot forces got their reinforcements and he couldn't help but stare in awe at the many Predacons flying overhead, not that he knew what they were, but they were still fragging amazing.

They looked like all sorts of beasts in Sari's video games that didn't involve races, everything from dragons to giant snakes he doesn't know the names of. They were all the size of Decepticons, if not bigger, and they packed much more firepower, quite literally. All their foes were now burning messes on the ground or were falling like meteors from the atmosphere. There was noting that the Quintessons could do against this ancient, colorful race of Cybertronians that used to be the guardians of the Primes's peoples.

He appeared to be the only one completely unafraid of them, but then again, he was somewhat used to strange things after everything that he went through on Earth. When serving under Optimus Prime, one must be ready for the craziest things to happen, and for them it had all started when they found Prowl on a random space bridge outpost and Bumblebee honestly hoped that it would never end.

''Where do you think they'll be stayin'?'' Bulkhead asked from behind him, making the yellow and black minibot turn around with an excited grin. The green mech had finally gotten out of the Space Bridge Nexus Control Center as now there was no need for transporting anywhere, as the Quintessons had started their retreat after the flagship was blown out of the skies and the reinforcements came.

''Hopefully? Somewhere we can hang out with them!''

The space bridge engineering expert looked at his smaller friend. ''You'd want them around?''

Bumblebee couldn't help but bounce in the back of his pedes. ''Oh come one, Bulkhead! Just look at them! Saying we're friends with Decepticons will tire out pretty soon, what with Boss-bot's plans! Imagine the reactions if we told them we're friends with one of them!''

''Do you even know who they are?''

''Does it matter?''

''I would think that it does, minibot.'' A new, archaic-sounding voice said behind him, accompanied by the sound of beating wings and the two Autobots who had been stationed on Earth turned to look up at the largest mech that was not an Omega Sentinel (or a whole ancient city, for that matter) that they had ever seen, including both Strika and Lugnut. He transformed from dragon mode into root mode, further startling the two young bots as a rather handsome looking mech peered down at them, his faceplate impassive as he regarded them. The two other beastformers, a griffin and a drake, behind him hovered for another moment before he sent them off, back into battle.

''Where is Optimus, the Last of the Primes?''

Bumblebee and Bulkhead look at each other, hearing the difference in the single glyph the Predacon was using in contrast to the glyphs that meant an Autobot commander for the first time. Alpha Trion and Artemis had used that same single glyph when talking about Optimus or the old mech and even Optimus used it ever since he went to retrieve the big sword and the little key. They didn't know the difference in meaning but their silence seemed to be annoying the regal looking beastformer in front of them.

''Well?'' He growled, like, really growled, not Decepticon-growled. He growled like the beast that he is and it was really even more terrifying than when Decepticons did it.

''He went to the Well of Allpsarks!'' Bumblebee squeaked out, startled by the anger of the seemingly civilized beast.

The mech nodded and transformed, ready to fly off. Bulkhead had the presence of mind to call after him, demanding his name. The Predacon considered them for a long moment with his gold optics before nodding at them again, this time in a proper greeting. ''I am Predaking, the king of all Predacons and Dinobots.'' And with that, he was off, leaving two dumbfounded Autobots behind.

Surprisingly, it was Bulkhead who broke the silence.

''I don't think that Grimlock will take that lightly, losing leadership.''

Bumblebee could only laugh, trying his best not to aggravate his dents as he imagined the Dinobot leader pouting after he heard that he was no longer in charge.

00000

Optimus has had enough!

Quintessa had interrupted the deciding moment in Optimus's new life by attacking him before he could see Megatron's final reaction and either face total rejection or maybe, if he was extremely lucky, the warlord would still want him in his life. Not as a bonded, because there was no way Megatron would trust him with his spark any longer, but maybe they could be friends. He sure hope so. He just wanted to see him safe and happy, even if that was not with him and while he might get jealous, he will give Megatron his blessing wholeheartedly if he decides to find a new partner.

And because such an important moment was interrupted, Optimus was rather merciless when he landed blow after blow on the femme's chassis. Quintessa gave as good as she got and Optimus was bearing dents even in places one was not supposed to bear dents in. They had come to a stalemate where they matched each other hit for hit, kick for kick and blow for blow, where they would lock swords only to spring apart and fire at each other. Three Liege Darts and two shots from the Requiem Blaster later, Quintessa was missing most of her left arm's armor, her right thigh plating and a chunk of the protective plates at the side of her temples, as well as a lot of cuts, dents and holes.

Three encounters with her bigger sword, seven with the smaller one and ten shots from her two guns later, Optimus felt like he had been hit by an asteroid yet he felt more alive than ever as the Origin Matrix took the absorbed residual energy from the Hunter and made it into energon, giving Optimus a boost. He had been refraining from using either the forge or the Cyber Caliber to repair himself, wanting to play fair, but that went out of the window, so to speak, when the Quintesson Queen started firing in the direction Megatron and his other two injured companions were.

Light overtook his frame once again, this time due to repairs taking place and Optimus felt his wings being upgraded with stronger turbo thrusters. As soon as he felt that they had formed enough, he rushed at Quintessa, hitting her square in the jaw and knocking her off her pedes, but the femme was tricky and she picked up some dust from the ground and threw it at Optimus, and while it was not possible to blind him with both the Lenses and the Triptych Mask in the way, protecting him, it was an instinctual reaction to shield his optics.

Quintessa used this opportunity to kick his pedes from under him and Optimus fell to the ground. She quickly climbed up to her pedes before straddling the Prime and holding her smaller sword at his neck. She leaned up into his face (A/N: Anyone else noticed that she does that a lot? Sorry, you can go back to the story now, just couldn't help but notice and I'm the one writing this) and grinned a slow, predatory smile that would have sent even Unicron running with how nasty and crazy it was.

''It would seem that I now have you, little Prime.'' Quintessa said as she traced a digit down Optimus's faceplate, gripping his chin-guard when she was finished and making him expose more of his neck to her in a forced sign of submission he didn't feel for her or anyone. ''You'll be a perfect decoration for my new palace here, over this very Well. I will enjoy this,'' She said as she pressed the blade harder against the sensitive metal and Optimus bared his dentae in pain. ''More than you will ever know.'' Her grin vanished and a cold look settled over her features, Quintus's spark fluttering in distress as he recognized the expression he saw last before he was murdered.

Quintessa pressed even harder and pulled up her bigger sword, raising it over her helm and positioning it so that it would stab at Optimus's spark. ''Goodbye, little Prime. Time to join your predecessors.''

''Not if I can help it!'' A voice growled behind her before two strong, gray servos took her by the waist and hauled her off of Optimus, Megatron using his supreme strength in order to squeeze the atmosphere out of Quintessa's vents, making her frame overheat. ''No one touches my mate!''

Optimus's optics widened to the size of Helensian dinner plates at the words and his spark skipped a few harmonics as he watched his bonded protecting him. Joy filled him and he could feel that the affection from the other end of the bond hadn't lessened due to this secret, but the joy was short lived as Quintessa stabbed at Megatron's servos, all but cutting his right hand off. The massive warlord still refused to release her and Optimus understood it was because he was still in a vulnerable position, so he scrambled to his pedes, and just in time, as Quintessa really did cut Megatron's servo off!

The Last Prime's audios was suddenly filled with his bonded's anguished cry of pain and he saw red.

Optimus released a war cry before slamming into Quintessa, who had turned around to stab Megatron again. The femme cried out in pain as she was slammed into the ground, both her and Optimus grunting when they started rolling around. Megatronus was whispering into his spark how to hold her down while Quintus was warning him of the tentacles. As he punched her in the face, Solus cheered and Prima reminded him to watch out for the leg aiming at his interface panel. They were now more united than they had ever been since their fight against their Sire and wasn't Optimus just proud that he had managed that once again.

Quintessa really didn't stand a chance against him now. He was angry and tired of all this scrap. There was no way he was going to let this continue. He has had enough. Too many deaths had occurred because of this femme, because of her envy and jealousy at Quintus. His brothers died because of her pursuit for power. His race was divided because of her. They had been united under the Primes, everyone had been equal, and then she came and Prima sacrificed himself, then one by one, the others followed him, ending with Alpha Trion giving his life so Optimus could live.

It was time to end this cycle of death and destruction.

 _''Let there be life.''_

Quintessa snarled as she finally separated herself from Optimus long enough to stand on her pedes. Optimus was already on his stabilizers, staring her down with determined optics and the femme grinned like a maniac at him. ''I can see why you were chosen. You almost fight like a true Prime!''

Optimus's only response was to draw out a weapon, one he always hoped he would never need to use again, but the time of Justice had come. The Hunter hummed at his touch, the glyphs along its blade glowing a bright blue, outlined by a golden light. The edge of the blade itself was turning an angry red, like molten lava, making the sword looked even scarier looking. It meant that the Hunter was more than ready to deliver Justice, to take down the one that was giving its wielder so much trouble. No weapon answered the call of their wielder as the Hunter did Optimus's; meant for the day when Optimus was alone and his brethren were not there to protect him, the Hunter was the most devastating weapon ever made by Solus Prime and the femme had been so proud of it, even as Optimus insisted that he never wanted to hold such power in his servo. It remained a secret to everyone, the First Generation and every one that followed. Artemis knows of it but only because Quintus had taught him about it, believing that he will one day meet its one and only wielder. No one knew that such a powerful weapon even exists.

And no one can use its amazing power but Optimus, it even being a lot heavier in another's servo.

Optimus hated it.

The fact that Optimus had drawn it meant he was more than ready to end this.

''Justice is a sharp sword, the Hunter never loses its pray and the Era of Primes is far from over.''

Quintessa's optics widened at the words before she let out an ironic laugh. ''Do you honestly think you can intimidate me with a glowing sword? You should have used the Star Saber if you wanted me scared.'' The sneer on her face deepened as she locked her gaze with the Prime's. ''Not even that fake Requiem Blaster scares me.''

Optimus retracts the Mask from his face and the Lenses, staring Quintessa down with his now almost white with power optics. With the mask off, his audio finials were visible, as were the Prime glyphs on them. His right cheek now glowed with the fresh glyph that represented Primus's blessing (A/N: like the one on movie-verse Optimus Prime), it glowing white like Primus's own power.

''It would seem that you do not recognize this sword.''

Quintessa snorted, bringing up her smaller sword, the bigger one finally breaking when Optimus hit it with the Blaster. ''I can guess what you are trying to get at, but the problem is that no one knows what the legendary Sword of Justice, the Hunter, looks like, so no, it does not scare me.''

Optimus smiled coldly at her, surprising her with such an expression. After all, she had not seen him when he was defending Megatron at his trail.

''The Hunter can be used by only one Prime, Quintessa. The Thirteenth.''

The femme only frowned, not understanding. ''Then why make up this lie that it is indeed the Hunter.''

Optimus let his chestplates part again (he had closed them as soon as he had seen Quintessa trying to sneakily charge at him while he was talking with Megatron) and let her see the Matrix of Leadership. If robots could lose color, Quintessa would have been white like a sheet. Seems she knew that only the Thirteenth can carry the Matrix of Leadership in his spark chamber, that it would only protect his spark. Those green optics flickered up to his before locking on both the relic and the twelve sparks that now floated around Optimus, the deceased Primes mocking her.

As Quintus's greenish-grayish-blue spark with traces of gold floated closer to Quintessa, the femme recoiled as she realized what was going on. Quintus returned to the other twelve sparks, the Matrix still lighting up Optimus's face as he looked down on her.

''By the Allspark...'' Megatron turned to his twin, who had woken up and was carrying an equally awake and stunned and awed Sari in his left servo, the other one too crushed from his fall, the older twin sitting since he could no longer get up with his stabilizers in such a state.

''It's so pretty...'' Was all that the half human could say as she looked at the relic, its light soothing her little spark.

They were ignored.

''You...'' Quintessa uttered in horror.

''I am Optimus Prime and this is your last warning.'' The femme suddenly sneered again, even if it was shaky. Optimus frowned, but that didn't stop him from finishing his statement. ''Call off what is left of your armies and never return again.''

''Never, _Prime_!'' Quintessa spat and lunged at him, sword drawn at the ready. Optimus easily met her with the Hunter, the sword humming as it absorbed the energy of the impact. It was already filled with energy from past battles, such as when Optimus absorbed the explosion that would have destroyed Liki 9 or from a very long time ago, when he had fought Unicron and his Sire had sent a wave of dark energy at him and his brothers. Every single one of them was almost knocked off of Cybertron from the blast and almost none of them could stand back up to fight after that. Optimus was the only one still ready for another round because the Hunter had absorbed everything. One of the reasons he remained untainted by Unicron's dark power. His weapon was filled with energy, just waiting to release it at the threat, on this enemy endangering its wielder.

The Hunter was built so Optimus Prime would remain protected even after the demise of his brothers and sister.

They were now gone and Optimus was being threatened.

The Hunter was ready to fulfill its purpose.

Optimus frowned at the femme as they separated from their locking of blades. ''If that's how you want this to end...'' And with that, Optimus concentrated on the Hunter and his sword responded immediately, the blade splitting into a fork of sorts. The six warships that had been heading towards them since they broke atmosphere two breems ago lack the luck of becoming Optimus's targets. They were the type of ships he had faced when they had been fighting Thamast and they would have destroyed the plating of the Northern hemisphere if Quintessa did as her son had and ordered that last line of defiance. Instead, the Hunter released some of the energy from the explosion of Thamast's fleet and utterly destroyed the ships. There were very few debris that fell to the ground. The energy blast continued out of the atmosphere and took down twenty ships before fading in the vacuum. The air around them was charged and Quintessa was both seething and cowering in front of Optimus.

The Last Prime was angry at himself for resorting on using the Hunter but there was no way he was going to give this glitch the honor of facing down one of his brothers's or sister's weapons.

''You bastard!'' Quintessa screamed before charging at him and Optimus just grew tired of it all. He caught her by the throat, stunning the femme and stealing the remaining breath from her frame as he slammed her into the ground. The Quintesson Queen didn't have the time to regain her breath or reach for any of her weapons when she saw Optimus raise the sword above his helm. The Hunter glowed with power and gleamed in Haden's light as well as the light of the still glowing six moons of Cybertron. ''So you're going to kill me? Shows what the Primes preached!'' She sarcastically spat, oil escaping her intake. The fight had finally taken its final toll on her and her frame could not take much more. If she tried fighting, it would end in her deactivation before Optimus could land another blow to her body. ''Go on! Kill me and show them who you really are! Show everyone the grace of the Dynasty of Primes!'' Optimus's servos twitched and she grinned maniacally. ''Do it!'' She hissed.

The Hunter came down in the next instant.

00000

Strika was pleased as she watched them give the Quintessons a beating of their lives. The Quints were already all but fleeing from Cybertronian forces as their new and unsuspected backup did its job perfectly.

Strika had to hand it to him.

Optimus was good.

Sure, she had heard the stories and legends regarding their species but she had never believed that entire subspecies of their kind had been banished by the so called "Primes" after the fall of the Dynasty. By the time the Magnuses came into power, most of these creatures were just myth.

And then she met the Dinobots and she started having her doubts.

They were the creations of the Allspark. Megatron had explained that the Key that was infused with its energies had reacted to them and made them even more Cybertronian than Megatron's tinkering already had; it gave them sparks, life. He built them by Cybertronian standards, testing out materials to see if he could rebuild his body with Earth metals and human technology, but it would appear that the organics of that planet were far from advanced enough for Cybetronian biotechnology.

Strika had teased him relentlessly that he was the Dinobots's and Soundwave's daddy and, surprisingly enough, Megatron had no problem with it. When it was Soundwave, that is. He threatened to space her if she ever connected him to the primitive dummies, as he rudely called them, in such a context.

The infamous General of Destruction had only had a good laugh as she reminded him that he would be lost without her. Especially in the battlefield.

Megatron only smugly reminded her that his new bonded would make a most excellent general with his ingenious strategy making.

Strika still couldn't believe how many times Optimus had defeated her Lord in war-sims. It took her hours to catch up to some of his moves and she very rarely even knew how to deflect them. The few times she had beat him, Strika had almost lost her composure and would have started celebrating right there and then.

The only reason the Autobots won the war was because they launched the Allspark into a random space bridge. They knew Megatron wanted it, NEEDED it if he wants to not only continue the war but also the warframes's existence at all. With Megatron suddenly no longer at the helm, Strika and Cyclonus and a few others had big pedes to fill in. They were't ready and the use of both space bridges and the Omega Sentinels, as well as the home field advantage the Autobots had in Iacon, the Decspticons lost the final battle.

Then she had to manage the army as he searched for the Allspark, then he was gone for fifty stellar cycles. It was one shitty situation after another and Strika hadn't been sure that she would ever make it. Now that she knows that even if something happens to her, Optimus will be there to keep this army in line when Megatron isn't around, Strika can rest more easily at night... That is, on nights she and Lungut aren't... busy...

''General?'' Strika turned to look at a black and gray seeker and nodded to acknowledge him. The mech took that as his permission to speak. ''We got an emergency transmission from Ultra Magnus, General. He _demands_ ,'' He spat out and Strika did her best to neither snicker nor role her optics at such behavior. ''To speak with you.''

She nodded. ''Put him through.''

A second later, she was listening to a mostly panicking Autobot Supreme commander as he told her that he couldn't reach Megazarak, that Optimus wasn't answering his comm link despite it obviously being fully functional and that there was no response from Megatron, either and Strika felt her energon and oil freeze in her tubes as she thought of going on without Megatron, only this time without him ever coming back.

''Are you sure?''

::I don't know!:: The stressed Magnus finally snapped, surprising her with the agitation in his voice. She wasn't so surprised, after all, Megatron had sent her a datapack telling her that his brother had turned up and saved Optimus from an assassination attempt. And every Decepticon knows why their more favored Lord had taken up full reign of Decepticon armies after it was announced. They didn't mind Megatron taking control, but Megazarak had still been liked. They had wanted to know and they had become disappointed when they learned why they hadn't taken over Cybertron up to that point. ::Optimus was the first out of range! Then Megazarak stopped responding and I tried Megatron, but he wouldn't answer! And there is a big commotion at the Well!::

''Well?''

::Optimus Prime, Megatron, Megazarak and Sari Sumdac went to the Well because Optimus insisted that he can get us backup if her did. He had obviously succeeded, but he is now out of range, Megatron isn't answering and Megazarak won't respond!::

''You've said that four times already. Why did you call me?'' Strika tried not to get annoyed, but she really was. All she was getting from the Autobot was that communications were down. She had already sent a datapack to Shockwave and he was checking if there was something interfering with the link. He'll get back to her on that, but she needs some answers now, even if it is only the reason why the Magnus was contacting her and not, say, Artemis or one of the other captains of the Omega Sentinels.

::I need you to come down here and see what is going on!:: Ultra snapped at her, clearly fed up with nothing getting done. Good. Strika liked that. It meant it was time to move out. She was up to some action after Ratchet had forbidden her from going back into battle because of her injury. ::I still can't go there. I need to sort a few things out here. There's a commotion there and I think a warframe, or at least a sparkling of a warframe and a civilian will be better at handling this than us civilians. Will you go?::

Strika snorted. ''Megatron might need help. I'll be there in a matter of breems.''

::Please hurry.::

Strika grinned as she turned to the ship's crew. She had been surprised when Tarn and Slipstream had showed up to her call for transport. She had looked at the other femme with utter confusion she could not hide, because there was no way she could indifferent when Tarn was very obviously flirting with Starscream's only femme clone. She nearly had a spark-attack when she had snapped at him, but Tarn had only laughed and called her 'femmeling', much to Slipstream's displeasure. That had been the weirdest ten breems of her whole, long function, and that was saying something, especially after everything she went through after meeting Optimus.

''Alright, Decepticons! I must go retrieve out glorious leader!'' A few cheers, although it was more to Strika's joking tone than anything else. It was rare, after all. ''Your orders are as follows: don't kill Autobots unless attacked first and give the squids Pit!'' Now the cheers were that for battle and Strika felt smug as she went to the docking bay.

She only hoped Ratchet didn't find out she went back into the fight.

Call her a coward, but no soldier is stupid enough to get on the medics's bad side.

And Strika just knew Ratchet would have the worst berthside manner.

00000

Everyone stared at where the Hunter had landed, stabbing the ground on either side of Quintessa's neck but not harming her. She was just pinned to the ground, but obviously scared to Pit and back. Megatron, Megazarak and Sari were watching Optimus in shock while Quintessa herself was this close to leaking herself. She had not thought that Optimus would do it, but the Last Prime had never planned on killing her. He wanted her to face justice and in death, that won't be happening.

''Call off your armies.''

It brought Quintessa out of her terrified stupor and she glared up at him, although there was no true confidence behind it anymore. ''Never!''

''There will be no need for her to do anything.'' A familiar voice said from a little ways away. They all looked up and Optimus was surprised to see Thamast standing there, damaged but clearly mostly fine. ''I have already called off the attack. The invasion is over.''

''What!?'' His mother yelled, turning her helm to look at her only son with such hatred and disgust that Optimus was sick just looking at it and thinking that this might be something that the younger Quintesson had to face for most of his life. No wonder he wanted to avenge Pepest, who had treated him kindly, and get back Artemis, who had paid him attention when no one else could or wanted to. His two uncles were the ones to soothe away Quintessa's distaste of her own son. ''How dare you?! Who do you think you are, to question my authority?''

Thamast's young, green optics were determined as he stared at his mother. ''I am your son and successor. You have just been recorded and reported as captured. As your heir, I get the control of our armies and I have grown sick of plots to take over Cybertron instead of treating our own home planet so it can be an ideal home for our own species. I gave the order and with you compromised, I am now the new ruler of Quintesson Pan Galactic Co-Prosperity Sphere.'' He looked at Optimus, who was still pinning the now ex-Queen to the ground with only the Hunter. ''And my first order as Quintessonian King is that we are forming an alliance with the Cybertronian Empire, _if_ it is under the rule of Optimus, the Last of the Primes.''

''You can't do that!''

''REALLY?!'' Sari and the two Decepticons screeched in surprise as Optimus stared at the Quintesson, still so similar to Artemis but oh so different.

''I wish to repent for my sins and the wrongdoings of my species to you, your siblings and your people. I know that I have a long way to go, but it is time that we start, is it not, my Prime?''

Optimus grinned at the young, silver mech and let go of the Hunter. Its blade was buried deep enough into Cybertron's plating that he didn't worry about Quintessa getting away. Unless she could detach her head from her shoulders, which would just be outright creepy. Optimus walked over to the younger Prince - no, he was a King now, and extended his servo to the other. Thamast looked at him strange but followed his lead and they shook servos. ''Thank you.'' Was all Optimus could say and the younger mech smiled at the Prime who had opened his optics to the truth.

''It has been my pleasure.''

And before anything else could be said, cheers were echoed all across the planet as the Quintessons showed the white plating of surrender and flashed the blue lights of intergalactic intentions of peace. Decepticons shot out their victory bangs and the Autobots started playing music for all to hear. The deafening roars of their new beastly allies shook the ground, especially when a big, brown and black mech landed right in front of Optimus. The dragonformer instantly drew his massive wings in before transforming.

As soon as he stood in front of Prime, the leader of all beastformers bowed to Optimus in reverence. ''I greet Optimus, the Last of the Primes.''

And it was just in that moment when Strika landed, Ratchet in Omega Supreme hot on her heels. The big femme was staring at the scene of Optimus shaking servos with their one time prisoner as a mech even bigger than her was kneeling in front of the grounder, his chestplates open and showing the contently glowing Matrix of Leadership and the twelve sparks of his Prime siblings while Megatron, Megazarak and Sari were gawking at them and Quintessa was trashing from the ground where the Hunter was pinning her. ''What the Pit is going on!?'' She turned to the kneeling brown mech and scowled at him as she realized he was not one of their own but rather one of those beasts that had joined in on the fight. ''Who the frag are you?''

The mech growled at her but then completely ignored her by turning his attention back to Optimus, who seemed to be having a little too much fun with this situation. Fragger, was all the Decepticons could think as they heard two more Omega Sentinels approaching. ''I am Predaking, king of all Predacons and Dinobots. I have come to swear my allegiance to the Last of the Primes, the Thirteenth, the creator of the Allspark, Primus's most prized and precious creation, Optimus Prime, bearer of the Matrix of Leadership and wielder of the Sword of Justice, the infamous Hunter.''

Strika seemed to be having a hard time from stopping her CPU from short-circuiting as Ratchet came to her side, ready to start a rant about not following a medic's orders when he saw the scene in front of them. Megatron detected Lugnut and Blitzwing coming this way and knew that soon enough Cyclonus would be joining them as well, as soon as the purple mech checks up on his little lover. ''I don't believe in Primus or the Primes.'' Was all Strika said and Predaking scoffed.

''Then you are more blind then I had thought possible.''

''I've heard and seen many mecha praying to that supposed deity, yet he never answered. He allowed us to be banished, just like you have been. Where's your proof that he exists?''

''Uh, how about the massive weapons that had actually won you this battle so easily?'' Thamast was looking at her as if she were the stupidest thing he had seen on the face of Cybertron, or any other planet, for that matter. ''Or the Last Prime standing in front of you, all Artifacts of the Primes out and Matrix of Leadership on full display?''

''My Lord Optimus!'' Strika was interrupted by Artemis's cry just as she opened her intake. The older Quintesson Prince had landed with Alpha Supreme, both he and Omega in root mode, and was sprinting towards said red and blue bot. Optimus smiled at him and turned to fully face his SIC just as Slipstream and Tarn landed not far from the shipformers and all three stopped dead in their tracks to stare at the relic in Optimus's chest. This would be the first time Artemis would be seeing it, despite hearing so much about it from Quintus.

Speaking of Quintus, his spark left its place beside the Matrix of Leadership and headed straight for the 13th of the First 100 Quintessons. Artemis gasped as it nuzzled his chest, right above his spark and he looked down at the greenish-grayish-blue spark with traces of gold. He recognized it immediately and Artemis hugged the spark close to himself.

''My Lord Quintus!'' He cried both joyfully and mournfully.

They were finally reunited, but they were no longer capable of being together.

Yes, Quintus and his favorite creation had been lovers. It had started as a one-sided thing from Artemis's side. He had not understood the emotions he was experiencing when his Lord Quintus would give him his undivided attention, that warmth that spread through him when his lord and creator would compliment him, nor the sorrow he would feel when Quintus would send him away so he could spend some time with his other creations, no matter how brief and rare those instances were. When he had finally confessed to him, Quintus had brushed him off immediately. He had not wanted the easy comradeship he had with Artemis to be disturbed by such feelings, despite returning them fully.

And so they had spent a hundred stellar cycles in a tense friendship before they both snapped and just did it during one of Quintus's experiments. And ever since then, it was extremely hard to separate them. The others noticed, of course, and Quintessa made up rumors that said how Quintus was sexually abusing their brother. It threw more oil to the already raging fire that was their hatred of Quintus and before Artemis and Quitnus could even debate if it would be safe to try a bonding, due to Artemis's unique and impossible but weak spark, Quintus's assassination happened and Artemis became his sister's prisoner and the rest was, as they say, history.

They had been separated for far too long and they were just happy to be together again, even if one was still living and the other had offlined long ago.

''Wait... A-Are they l-lovers?!'' Sari screeched in shock, watching as the spark and the Quintesson all but snuggled up together and Optimus chuckled.

''Should've seen that one coming.''

Slipstream huffed. ''You?! I should have realized that he was telling us a tragic love story!'' She growled when Tarn snickered at her reaction, the two finally getting over their shock at seeing a fragment of Primus's Spark in Optimus's chest. ''You shut up!'' Her wings were quivering in annoyance and Optimus couldn't help but notice that she was shivering in delight as Tarn's snickers became full out laughter, deep and throaty.

''Are you two together?''

Slipstream turned to look at him so sharply that Optimus feared some of her gears will get damaged. The femme shot him such a scandalized look that the Prime would have died of laughter right there and then had he not noticed Metroplex approaching with hundreds of various vehicles in front of him. Autobots, Decepticons, femmes and mechs, grounders and fliers, born and sparked and cloned. Everyone was heading their way, even the Quintessons, although they were still signaling peace and surrender. Even the DJD and the Wreckers were calmly approaching.

The numerous inhabitants of the six moons were among them and Optimus was revealed to see that they had integrated with the rest of their species just fine. Minicon ships landed after the Omega Sentinels had touched down, the Predacons were carrying the grounder Dinobots (unlike Predacons, who were a lot older than them, Dinobots could both fly and not) and the multiformers landed by themselves, carrying themselves or their own and a few injured allies. The Quintessons seemed uneasy as they exited their ships, but the generals of the army gravitated towards Thamast, only sparing a glance at their tied up no longer Queen. They seemed relieved that they no longer had to fight and if Optimus ahd overheard them correctly while they were briefing the young King, it would seem that they were pleased to say that most of their forces had been spared and wasn't Optimus just proud at this victory with minimal casualties. Predaking informed him that only two of his kind had suffered offlining, although there were over fifty injured, none of them lithely. Leader-1 joined Roller as the Minicon zoomed towards Optimus and the Prime was satisfied when he heard his partner's report that they had no casualties, although five were injured, the same being for the rest of the Minicon ships, if his creators were correct. The leader of the multiformers and shifters was a nice, huge femme, a sixformer known as Seis. She gladly told Optimus that although some of them had sustained some serious damage, there were no deaths. Hardshell told him that the Insecticons had, apparently, taken the brunt of the attacks from the Qvotus and the such, so there were over hundred dead and seventy injured, but they will be fine species wise.

The loses were, unfortunately, quite a bigger number on the Autobot and Decepticon sides. Due to being in the fight the longest, there were over a thousand lost sparks on both sides and even more injured. Many ships were destroyed, but thankfully none of the shipformers had fallen this time and neither have their mentorbots. However, the Wreckers lost Springer and Whirl while the DJD had lost five members, due to taking on Sparkeaters, Qvotus and most of the Kukuzor warriors all on their own for the most part in the battle.

All in all, it could have gone way worse, but Optimus wished it had gone better.

He watched as his team and his crew got together, Tarn still not leaving Slipstream's side and unnerving her brothers and Shockwave and Bumblebee seemed to gravitate towards the much bigger Predacons and joke around with them, Blitzwing following his every move and shadowing his every step. He wondered how that was going to go. He could see Hot Rod fretting over Cyclonus's wounds and hear Arcee trying to brush off Ratchet's worry. Optimus grinned when he noticed Soundwave stationing himself by Megatron, all of his cassettes around him or on him, as his bonded inspected the one creation he made on Earth he was proud of. Grimlock was having an intense conversation with Predaking and Optimus was surprised how much his speech pattern had improved, as well as the whispers coming from Solus that those two were future lovebirds. That was actually a really scary thought. The DJD and the Wreckers were joking around and the Omega Sentinels were talking with each other for the first time, Alpha, Omega and Sigma taking lead and encouraging the others to open up. Megazarak seemed to be kissing the life out of Ultra Magnus, if Optimus was seeing right, and the Last Prime grinned. Lugnut had obviously gone into overprotective mode and was checking his beautiful Lady Strika's injury, said General of Destruction futilely trying to get him to leave her alone. Jazz seemed to be conversing with a femme ninja bot Optimus hadn't met yet, but they seemed to be getting along fairly well. Blurr and Shockwave were putting Megazarak and Ultra Magnus to shame, but it was Brawn and Hot Shot that were near interfacing right there and then. Skywarp was being held by the waist by Thundercracker while Ramjet and Sunstorm were playing around with each other. Thrust was off interacting with other seekers and Dirge was annoying some poor Autobot. Cliffjumper was telling his friends from the Autobot Intelligence just what he had gone through and why it was him that was sent to activate Fortress Maximus and Sentinel had finally gotten up the courage to grab Blackarachnia into and intense make-out session.

 _'I'll have to see about fixing her condition so she can bond with him.'_ Optimus thought to himself as he watched Prowl more than happily kiss Lockdown, much to everyone's, and especially the bounty hunter's, confusion, not that Lockdown wasn't enjoying it. He was so distracted watching Bulkhed observe as Quintesson after Quintesson came, bowed to both Thamast and Artemis and apologized to the older Prince that he almost jumped out of his plating when Megatron wrapped his servos around his waist.

''It would seem that you were right.'' The deep voice spoke in his audios and Optimus shivered as he watched Metroplex lifting Starscream and First Aid up in his hand as to give them some privacy, the femme even redder in the face than she usually was. ''We really can have peace.''

Optimus was tense for a moment but then he finally leaned into Megatron's embrace. ''It's not over yet.'' And it wasn't. There was going to be a Pit load of trouble with re-settling everyone to their original living arrangements, repopulating all the Decepticon cities and finding places for the Minicons to live. Not to mention the tension that will linger for at least a hundred years, and not just between them and the Quintessons, or between Autobots and Decepticons. Thamast had officially placed himself and the Quintessons under Optimus's rule, if he becomes the leader of Cybertron, and that means that the former Autobot Commonwealth, the Decepticon Empire and the Quintesson Pan Galactic Co-Prosperity Sphere will all merge under one ruler, will all be under Optimus.

And no one from the Galactic Council will be happy about such a big neighboring force.

Then there were the matters of the Council. They'll have to get rid of them, those old bots who were perfectly okay with dissecting Decepticons and experimenting on younglings. At the very least, they will be kicked off to some of the colonies, at the worst, the DJD will get to them before they reach their destination. And then there is the whole war crimes thing that they'll have to settle, but Optimus was thinking more along the lines of a fresh start, a clean slate, so to speak. And they'll have to invite delegations from all colonies, an ambassador from each one will have to be stationed on Cybertron to ensure equal rights throughout the new, giant, soon to be empire... Not to mention calling back all the neutrals.

Optimus sighed as he realized that he had his work cut out for him, but as he looked on as his friends had fun (even Sari, Isaac and Fanzone weren't feared and neither was Blackarachnia, despite their organic or part organic nature) he knew that all that trouble was gong to be worth it.

''Are you mad?'' He asked it so suddenly that he surprised even himself, let alone Megatron. Said warlord looked down at him and Optimus had to reset his vocalizer before he asked again, looking his bonded in the optic. ''Are you mad at me?''

''Why would I be?'' Was his perplexed answer and Optimus's optic ridge furrowed.

''Because I hid things from you, maybe?''

Megatron snorted. ''Please, Optimus! I knew there was something different about you ever since we first fought on Omega Supreme, I had just not know what it was. Why should I be mad?'' Optimus was gawking at him and his mate only smirked at the gob-smacked expression. ''That was clearly too personal and too painful to talk about and I know when to let such topics lie forgotten, or rather ignored, but you must promise to stop hiding things from me from now on, since I already know why you would hide them.''

Optimus smiled his brightest, happiest smile as coolant tears started creeping out of his optics and Megatron immediately made a move to wipe them away. The Prime nuzzled the servo so tenderly holding his face a pressed a small kiss on it as he nodded. ''Deal.'' Then, as if finally remembering something, Optimus flushed and looked down at his pedes. Of course, the Decepticon Lord immediately took notice of the change and made a confused noise as he probed at their bond to see what had embarrassed Optimus so.

The blush only deepened.

''Optimus?'' Megatron asked as he felt something near his mate's spark and it wasn't the other eleven sparks of the other Primes. He didn't know what it was but he did know that it was of no threat to Optimus. He would still like to know what it was!

Optimus made a coughing sound before looking Megatron in the optics and even further exposing that part of his spark to their bond. Megatron's optics widened as he finally recognized what he was sensing and Optimus smiled, his blush still very much in place. ''It happened that night when we bonded. By the time Alpha Trion had offlined, they were already there.''

Red optics locked on blue, amazement, wonder, excitement and love that was flowing through the bond clearly showing in both pairs of optics. ''You're...?''

Optimus nodded.

''We're going to be...?''

Optimus nodded once again and wondered if he should be recording this. There was no way anyone else had ever seen the graceful and witty, silvertounged Megatron this stumped, ever, and there was little chance that it will happen again.

''Really?'' The happiness was starting to dance across the usually mostly stoic faceplates and Optimus's optics turned soft. Megatron had obviously never expected to have this privilege before and it would seem he didn't know how to react.

Optimus nodded once again.

And then the field around the Well of Allsparks was filled with one soon-to-be sire's happy laughter as Megatron picked up his carrying bondmate and spun around with Optimus in his arms, the people of Cybertron and Quintessa cheering when they heard him exclaiming the goon news over and over again.

 _'Well, maybe he did know how to react to such a privilege after all.'_ Optimus thought fondly.


	34. Chapter 34

**War as Old** **as Time Itself**

 **Summary:Three months after The Battle For Earth, a mysterious mech abducts Optimus Prime from Cybertron and so his friends find themselves needing help to find him. A strange group departs their planet for the journey, while Optimus slowly mends gaps between his own people and the gaps with their greatest enemy.**

''And that's how the War ended!'' A cute femmeling with gray, blue and red paint told her friends. She was one of the oldest of the four of them, but by far the most mature. Her older twin brother, who had silver, red and blue plating with traces of black, nodded but their friends were skeptical.

''I don't know.'' A green, black and gold mechling said, looking at the little femme uncertainly, his blue optics glowing over his white face. ''My sire told it a bit differently.''

''You're sire is well known for liking to over exaggerate when it comes to his own importance in such matters.'' A purple and sky blue femme said sarcastically, her one blue and one red optic unnerving the mechling who had spoken as it settled fully on him. '' _My_ sire says that your sire only made it out alive because he had been paired up with your carrier.''

''And we all know that Shockwave always gets the best information!'' A bigger purple and orange mechling said. ''And no matter what you two say, I won't believe it until I guarantee it with my own creators! Although, I mostly rely on my sire, too, because my carrier is a bit of a fan of your carrier.'' He told the twins, blue and red optics locking on him as they both scowled at him not trusting their word.

''Everyone is a bit of a fan of their carrier! He's the Prime!'' Shadow Racer, the only creation of Shockwave and Blurr, and the only other femme in their little group said as if it was the most obvious thing. She had Blurr's build and some of his speed, but she was a lot more like Shockwave than she was her carrier. Shockwave and Blurr were now expecting twins as well and the femme was more than excited that she will be getting siblings. As for her own favorite, it was definitely their carrier. She got that from her own carrier, Blurr often telling her all the things Optimus had done for him.

''I think their sire is cooler.'' The biggest mechling said, and despite his size, he was actually the youngest of the sparklings present. He was Cyclonus's pride and joy but his carrier, Hot Rod would have been scandalized had he heard Rodimus say such a thing. It had taken the couple a few more groons before they finally bonded and soon after that, Hot Rod was cursing his mate because he was carrying and as such wasn't clear for active duty. The hot tempered mech had decided to name his son after the nickname everyone had been trying to shove down his throat tubing since his Academy days and it would seem that it suited their son far more than it had suited him. Rodimus was very smart and skilled, all that he had mostly picked up after his sire and would one day be a real spark-breaker. Oh, and he idolized Megatron more than even Hot Rod had idolized Optimus when he was only a cadet, and that's saying a lot. He was almost on the same level as Lugnut!

''I think my own sire and carrier are far cooler. Or Blue's!'' Prowl and Lockdown's creation said. Wildwind was the strangest sparkling anyone had ever seen. He had inherited so many of his sire's traits, and only few from his carrier, much to the dismay of the whole Cybertronian population, because they honestly didn't need another Lockdown. He, however, had gotten his carrier's wisdom and smarts, he only didn't use them very often. He now had a younger sister who was only a couple of decacycles old, Prowl having given birth to little Lotus only recently and was still not allowed in active duty. Wildwind loved his little sister, but he wasn't a fan of anyone else but his sire and carrier. He could get along with his friends, but he wasn't going to be the first one to approach a new friendship. You usually had to drag him into it. And Blue was Skywarp and Thundercracker's femmling, only a groon younger than Wildwind and the only other exception to his no-liking rule.

''Nah, Megatron is way cooler!'' Rodimus insisted and the twins groaned as they began this argument again.

''Hey guys!'' A familiar voice yelled and they turned to see two more sparklings running towards them. ''Guess what! Slipstream will be getting her triplets tomorrow!'' The younger sparkling, a nice yellow, orange, brown and light blue femme, told them excitedly while the now youngest member of the conversation happily nodded beside her. The femme was Hot Shot's and Brawn's first sparkling, them having gotten her when Optimus had opened Vector Sigma in Kaon for the first time since before the War for Peace had originally started. They had prayed to the Allspark and it had given them a sparkling, along with them getting a healthy protoform from the sacred sight in the Decepticon capitol. Miracle, as she was so affectionately named, was a hyper little femme who loved playing with other kids but loved to gossip as much, if not more, as her creators.

The younger sparkling was Starscream's son with First Aid, Stardust. He had potential to be a trippleformer but it was to early to tell. His creators had agreed to bond the very night after peace was proclaimed but it had taken a bit of time for them to get a sparkling. Stardust was the by far cutest little seeker anyone had ever seen and the proud sire had declared that the little Winglord must have gotten it from his lovely carrier, much to First Aid's immense embarrassment.

''Really?'' Optimus and Megatron's son, Lux, asked, his red optics wide with happiness. ''I hope there's at least one mech! We're getting overcroweded wtih femmes, what with aunt Elita's two femmelings she had two days ago, or the femme Ratchet and Arcee are expecting any day now!''

Lucia, his sister, whacked him over the helm. "You know I'm standing right behind you, right?"

Lux glared at her, his expression almost identical to Megatron's when he was angry. The mechling had inherrited his frame from his sire while Lucia more resembled Optimus. Lux was obviously going to be a flier but he also had wheels, so he might get a secondary alt mode. Lux and his sire were hoping it will be a tank while Optimus was praying to his own Carrier that its a civilian vehicle. Lucia, on the other servo, had a similar frame as their carrier, only slimmer and more curvy. She also had his optics, not quite the same shade but they were still beautiful. Ratchet and Artemis had declared it possible that she will have flight stabilizers like Optimus but her carrier doubted it. His had been created by Primus and then by Professor Sumdac. It wasn't a part of his coding. And just as Lux's glare resembled their sire's, Lucia's scowl was an almost exact replica of their carrier's own.

"Well, it's not like it's not true!" Lux complained. "The palace is filled with more femmes than mechs!"

"It isn't true." Shadow Racer informed them. "Seeing as almost all of the officers are mechs, the palace by far has more mechs." She smiled a smile that sent chills of dread down the older twin's spinal strut. "I could give you the exact statistics." She sing-songed and all of her friends's optics went wide.

"NO!"

As she snickered at their horrified expressions, they heard a string of curses from not too far away. The sparklings were now all watching with wide optics as they witnessed a heavy with sparklets Slipstream cursing up a storm while an amused Tarn carried her to Ratchet's new hospital he had opened with Hook, First Aid, a former Autobot by the name Pharma and a former Decepticon named Scalpel. The former DJD leader and now head of the Empire's border security had finally gotten what he wanted three weeks after Optimus and Thamast signed a peace treaty and united Cybertronian and Quintessonian space. Slipstream got instantly sparked and it appeared that a clone's gestation period is shorter than a normal bot's, even if she was carrying three sparklets.

"This is all your fault!" The seeker femme was giving her own creator a run for his credits. "I'll never let you touch me again!" She said as she surpassed a whimper of pain. It would seem that the sparklings were ready to come into the world.

Tarn just kissed her helm and reassuringly squeezed her closer to his chest. "We'll see." Was his amused answer. It would appear that he was so happy with becoming a sire that the threats of castration didn't faze him at all.

Then again, he is a Phase Sixer. They're not exactly a normal lot.

The assembled sparklings could only stare after the retreating backs of Optimus's TIC and her mate, frozen in shock until they heard the clearing of a throat tubing behind them some breems later.

"Excuse me, but would you happen to know where we might find Optimus Prime?" The sparklings of said mech turned to look at the two mechs standing in front of them. The one who had spoken was shorter of the two, maybe from Tyger Pax or Polihex, the bitlets weren't sure, but the taller, bigger mech with a cannon on his shoulder was most definitely Tarnian. "Or Lord Megatron? We're old friends of theirs."

This got the full attention of the rest of the group and the children turned to stare at the mechs with curious optics.

Lucia huffed. She had picked it up from Sari and very much likes the gesture. "Who wants to know?"

The red mech with a beautiful finish grinned. "I'm Knock Out and this is my mate and assistant, Breakdown. We promised Optimus that we will return to Cybertron after the war is over. We took a little longer than I expected, but here we are now! Would you mind pointing us in the right direction?"

Lux's optics lit up. "I've heard of you! My sire told me about what went down on Helens!"

"Yeah, and my carrier told me what happened, too." Wildwing said, giving the two newcomers a once-over, clearly not liking or trusting them, but this _was_ Wildwind and he didn't trust anyone. Or like them on the first meeting. "He said you two are bonkers, although nice."

The dark blue mech chuckled as Knock Out mock pouted. "We get that a lot, actually."

"Why am I not surprised?" An all too familiar voice drawled behind them and the twins immediately perked up.

"SIRE!"

Megatron, Lord High Protector (yes, they had reestablished the position after they knocked down the old Council and told the Galactic Council to go frag themselves) and mate of the current Prime, chuckled fondly as he knelt down and scooped up his little ones when they ran up to him. The other children waved to him in greeting and Megatron returned it with a nod and a smile. "Were you having fun?"

Lux nodded happily. He and Lucia launched into a long retelling of what they had been doing all afternoon and their friends were quick to join them. The two mechs watched with amusement as the slag-maker himself melted in the presence of such innocence that were these sparklings.

"Seems like you've had a good time." Megatron told his offspring amusedly. The twins nodded with big grins and their friends showed Megatron the peace sign Sari had taught them. The ex-warlord chuckled and placed a kiss on his children's forehelms before placing them down. "Now why don't you go to Blitzwing? I'm sure he is making some oil cackes. Again." The last was grumbled but still very much audible.

The sparklings cheered and ran off in the direction of Blitzwing and Bumblebee's home. The tripplechanger had only recently gotten Bumblebee to move into his quarters, after a long courtship. It would seem that the yellow and black minibot, while not serious with anything else, took relationships very very seriously. It had been a tough ride but Blitzwing had gotten his intended in the end. They still had no idea when, and if, they were going to bond but they were happy with how things are right now.

Megatron was still looking after the sparklings when Knock Out broke the silence. "So, peace, huh?" The once tyrant smirked and looked back at the bonded of his old friend. "Three stellar cycles already."

"Yes. Quite a shocker, isn't it? What he can do in such a short time." The former Decepticon Lord said with obvious fondness.

"He kept true to his promise." Breakdown commented with a node before he walked over to Megatron and properly greeted him like only gladiators do. ''I only hope, for his good, that he also kept his word to Knock Out.''

''Oh?'' Now he was curious. ''And what had my mate - Yes, we're mates, stop staring at me like that - promised yours?''

''Please tell me he kept that beautiful finish of his!'' The red racer all but whined as he said this and Megatron blinked before bursting out into deep, throaty laughter. ''What?! Well, did he? Please tell me that he did! It would be such a shame if he didn't!''

''Don't worry, Knock Out. He still has those flames of his.''

Breakdown only shook his helm as Knock Out started rambling about how he was going to get the Prime to sit down long enough for the doctor to copy the finish and make some adjustments before he made it his own, or something. ''So, how have things been around here since, you know?''

Megatron only sighed as he started explaining their difficulties.

It had been a rough three years, or rather three stellar cycles.

The first thing they had to deal with was repopulating all exiles back into their cities or territories they had been inhabiting before the Prime pretenders or the Magnuses knick them off planet. The Predacons actually settled the easiest, seeing as their ancient enemies were long dead by then. The rare mountain like parts of Cybertron were soon repopulated by the flying beastformers while the Dinobots settled in the areas surrounding their bases. The Insecticons had very little difficulty as well, as they had only wanted to return to the underground mines where they made their hives. Both Predaking and Hardshell often flew back to Iacon to check up on their freer and see the changes that were being made. Megatron had had a hard time getting their approval when he was supposed to become Lord High Protector, but it was more of an alpha-male problem than anything else.

The interesting thing about them was that neither was ready to bring their little ones into the city just yet. Hardshell had an older heir who did accompany him to Iacon three or four times, but none of his little ones that had hatched on Cybertron half an orn ago had visited yet. The Insecticon leader promised Optimus that he will bring them around by the end of this orn, something about them still being both too young and too wild for normal mech interaction. His mate was excited to meet them and Megatron had no doubt that Optimus would coo over them for hours if given the chance.

Predaking was another story entirely. He had been courting Grimlock (the biggest shock for everyone on Cybertron was when the Dinobot actually said yes and became the submissive partner) for two stellar cycles and had been trying for half of the third to get him sparked up, so when they had succeeded and the sparklings were born, the always unreasonable Grimlock refused to let them out of his sight. No one could get him to change his mind, not even Swoon - who had perfected that particular skill - or Blackarachnia (Grimlock was now too enamored by his new mate to care for the Spider-lady), and he wouldn't even leave the mountain range with them until he felt like it, so Predaking was left apologizing to an amused but partially understanding Optimus.

Swoon and Snarl had found their own new partners and all three Earth Dinobots were happy now, the other two now expecting their third and fifth ''litter'' (as Sari calls it) respectively.

The next ones who had settled were the Minicons but the population was still too weary of them, even after three stellar cycles. In the beginning, it had been a nightmare. Even with Roller and Leader-1 (who found out he got spectacularly well with Megatron) following him and Optimus around all the time - like, they really never went anywhere without those two close at their pedes. Roller was overprotective like that, much to Optimus's exasperation - mecha still sneered at Minicons or, on a really memorable occasion that actually resulted with Leader-1 and Megatron becoming friends, tried to pick on them. Leader-1 had thrown that front-liner into that reinforced wall like he was nothing more than a small pebble and after that incident, no one dared be violent with their small new neighbors. Luckily, there were not much such situations as the Minicons had created their won city near Tyger Pax by parking all of their ships there and just building roads and shops. Leader-1's creators visited from time to time, but especially now that they found out both Roller and his sister, Sureshock, were carrying with their respective partners. And Optimus had been beaming for the past six groons ever since the orange and white Minicon had informed him of the wonderful news, Megatron had not been able to let him go. The Prime had not been limping only due to some miracle Primus had blessed him with, becasue that would have been very awkward. With time, the Minicons were slowly accepted and in some cities, it was perfectly normal to see them going about their own business, but some other still flinched when a Minicon approached them. Optimus did the whole planet a favor and with the help of Shockwave and Soundwave, the three of them somehow made a program from the digital specks of that special ability of his, allowing everyone to download the Minicon and beastformer dictionary.

The multiformers, or shifters as they were sometimes called, settled with some suspicion. They didn't want to become spies or some crazy scientist's experiment, so the next thing to do was to close the military division of the Ministry of Science. It served as a relief for the shipformers as well and they got a big field dedicated to them where they could stretch, lie down, sit and so on. It also freed Metroplex from possible research he would not have allowed. If anyone had questions about the Titans, they were either to ask him nicely or to talk with Optimus. Said Prime ended up spending three days straight with a bunch of scientist before Ratchet chased them all off, cursing them for over-tasking a carrying mech. Optimus had been so grateful that he even ignored the jabs of being stupid enough to believe them that it will be only a few minutes of his time. The combiners had no problem at all, as they just merged into the society without detection.

The Decepticons, though, loved to cause trouble and so there were some smaller fights between individuals when re-population of Kaon and in particular Tarn was taking place. They fought amongst themselves and then fought with the Autobots overseeing the repairs of the damage they had created until both Megatron and Megazarak came and kicked all of their afts. After that, Megazarak was stationed to monitor those two cities while the rest were in the hands of Lugnut, Strika, Cyclonus and so on. After two weeks, Optimus flew to where Vos had crashed and after some talks with Starscream and the rest of the seekers, Optimus had activated the Omega Lock for the first time in centuries, fixing the city before using the Chimer Stone to reactivate its engines. After three joors, Vos was proudly floating it the air once more and the seekers's song traveled Cybertron's air currents once more. The roads were fixed up, once again connecting warframes and civilianframes and their cities together. New laboratories and hospitals and hotels were made to fit both types and then Optimus had used the Key to Vector Sigma to open said Vector Sigma in the middle of the main square in Kaon, activating it and everyone had watched as the first sparklings that the Allspark had created were given their new protoforms.

All of this had caused the predicted unrest in the Council. They accused Optimus of being a phony Prime even after he had showed the Matrix of Leadership in front of all of Cybertronian and Quitessonian race. Thamast and Artemis were declared war criminals like Quintessa and the old fools had tried assassinating them. Optimus's rage had been tremendous and his voice had echoed all throughout Iacon as he had yelled at the Councilmecha.

Megatron had been beyond proud when Optimus himself kicked every single one of them onto a shuttle after he took them into the Well and had them traumatized when they saw Primus's Spark chamber. Apparently the god had spoken to them and that left them almost insane. The shuttle may or may not have ended up hitting a young star on its way to one of the colonies, but it's not like anyone cared for those glitches so no one asked questions and if Tarn was overly smug, it was declared that it was because he finally got a date with Slipstream.

Optimus had immediately thrown himself into building a new Government. He called in delegations and gave every ambassador that he deemed worthy a place in the Palace, the old Primal Basilica, and a seat in the new parliament. Artemis and Slipstream remained his SIC and TIC respectfully and no one could get him to change his mind. Prowl became his Official Personal Advisor and the leaders of the exiles became their respective representatives. Thamast, as the new King of Quintessons had a place in the palace as well, but he often returned to Quintessa, especially to Old Quintessa, to fix things and close down all those sick research facilities. He became fast friends with Optimus after the last of the tension drained between them the night after they signed for peace and a big party was thrown. He and Artemis sorted out their differences and Artemis was to act as an ambassador even if he refused to leave Cybertron ever again. After the first stellar cycle, they found out that Thamast also developed a spark after a failed assassination by some old Quintessonian ally that felt slighted when Thamast broke all deals and treaties. It resulted in Optimus taking the Emberstone down into the Well of Allsparks and the next time two Quintessons interfaced, a new green spark was made and after that, things changed quite a bit.

With the new Government, new positions were to be made as well there were old ones Optimus wanted reinstated. As Airlord of Vos, Starscream had some new responsibilities and the seekers were once again made the Youth Sector protectors. Ratchet got a place in the senate, overlooking medical development, sitting right beside Perceptor. Ultra Magnus took up the old duties that had been entitled to the calling and became the head general of the armies, to answer directly to only the Lord High Protector. He happily shared the calling with Megazarak Magnus and Strika Magnus (who had been smug and surprised, respectively) and the three were in charge of protecting directly Cybertron or specific colonies. The Magnus's responsibility was to go where the Lord Protector sent him and traditionally, there were four of them, but Optimus hadn't been sure if he should assign the forth one yet. He had proposed the position to Cyclonus, but the mech had refused because he was supposed to bond with Hot Rod and he didn't want to leave him even for a minute. Instead, Optimus decided to be a good friend and gave the position to Sentinel, who may have cried a little even if he will deny it to his dying day. The military title of Prime was erased from existence and instead they now had the calling of Colonel, an Earth military title.

Tarn also had a place on the senate, as he was in charge of the patrolling unit of Cybertron known as the Government Assembled Monitoring Elite, or GAME, that consisted of the old DJD and Wrecker members, as well as the occasional call to any other Omega Sentinel crew. The Phase Sixers and his Officers had mellowed down somewhat after finding mates or old friends and they stopped causing fights now that they were at peace. The Decepticon Justice Division's last mission had been to set the course of that one shuttle and after that, they were more than happy to devote their lives to protecting their home.

Perceptor ended up having a seeker mate that no one had known about, surprising everyone when he had kissed a random mech at the party after the treaty signing. Wheeljack and Ratchet had stared at him with gaping mouths while Starscream had laughed at hem all very gladly. Other Autobots had secret Decepticon lovers, even Kup, although Megatron tried not to think that he and Sixshot were somehow lovers. That had actually scared him a little and even Optimus had not seen it coming.

Shockwave was reinstated as the Head of _Cybertronian_ Intelligence, much to Cliffjumper's relief and the division's secret delight. He and Blurr bonded the day after the announcement, Blurr becoming Optimus's trusted messenger. Bulkhead finally got his due reward for his gift with the space bridges and the big, green Autobot even got quite a few admirers of both genders and frame types. Bumblebee became a soldier of the Elite Guard, something he had always wanted, and he served here in Iacon. He soon decided that he liked his job and he teamed up with a new Decepticon enforcer, Barricade, the two of them becoming an excellent team that never lost their few but still present troublemakers. Barricade eventually was introduced to Captain Fanzone and after a long and mostly boring talk, Barricade went to visit Earth with Optimus's team and crew the next time they went.

That set a chain reaction that made Earth a new official ally to the Cybertronian Empire. Sari Sumdac became the representative on Cybertron while they sent a nice femme and her brother in arms, Autobot and Decepticon, Mist and Whirlwind to Earth to represent them. Professor Sumdac liked to visit when he had the time and even the mayor had set foot on Cybertron, which resulted in even more humans daring to cross through the space bridge. Becasue of all the organics walking around, the population had started to protest, but Optimus silence it by reminding them that three of those same organics did their best to go out of their way to help them deal with the Quintessons, and not only that, most of Quintesson space had organic-based planets in it. The protests stopped after Optimus and the new Government made a law that officially welcomes all non hostile organics planet-side. That followed up many visits to Cybertron form other organic planets that had always been interested in these sentient mechanic beings and so a whole new division was opened for tourists and Arcee was put as its head.

It sure did get the Galactic Council off of their backs.

Speaking of which, those bastards had wanted to make them release Quintessa instead of holding her for trail. Optimus had spectacularly told them to ''go frag themselves'' (in those exact words, diplomacy be damned) but invited them to play witness to justice finally taking place. Quintessa and the three Judges, as well as anyone who had a hand in those sick trails or experiments, were imprisoned for life in a new prison deep in space, built on a big random rock, or so they thought. The Prison was built in the same ring Optimus had found his siblings's artifacts, even though they had replaced the asteroid in the center. The asteroid that had been home to the artifacts was given over to the Predacons to hide and protect and even Optimus didn't know where it is (yet, as they have not finished the site).

Before that trial took place, Megatron had faced the greatest challenge yet. Optimus had declared him not only his mate, rather publicly, but also his partner and sire of his sparklings. Some of the new Government officials weren't happy with this and tried to get Optimus to leave the old warlord, but Optimus had responded in a way that had all of their jaws dropping.

He declared Megatron his Lord High Protector.

As they couldn't change Optimus's mind, they started testing Megatron. They had been merciless and Starscream had actually been the one to stand by Megatron's side and that said something. Needless to say, the Lord High Protector to be had been exhausted and was ready to snap at them when Optimus gt wind of what the other Government officials were up to. Even more needless to say was that Iacon had once again been echoing with Optimus's voice as he ripped every single ambassador a new one and Megatron hadn't even bothered to tell Optimus that he didn't need his help, he was that tired. After three days of normal sleep, Megatron was back with vengeance. The poor bastards didn't stand a chance as he ripped them apart with words alone and still made it sound like he was perfectly nice and civil, although there was nothing civil about an angry warframe. Optimus had been very proud of him. There may have been some hot interfacing after that particular session.

Speaking of the Lord High Protector and the Magnuses, Ultra had not really been amused that it will be Megatron who will be dishing out his orders because he believed that the Decepticon Lord will be that petty as to purposefully separate him and Megazarak, but guess what? Megatron sent him and Megazarak on an uninhabited moon and stationed them there on Sigma Supreme for three months and when they returned, Megazarak was even more smug than Megatron had been when he learned Optimus was carrying. It turns out they almost didn't do anything but interface the entire time there, and although Ultra was happy with the development, you could see that he could do with a night or seven of undisturbed sleep. He had been cranky and snapped at anyone but other carrying mechs and femmes. He in particular kept close to Optimus, thus making Megazarak and his younger twin spend more time together.

That didn't go so well, if anyone is asking.

The first three days were the worst. It was tense and the two constantly insulting each other, exasperating Optimus and Ultra to no end. The Prime wondered if he had made a bad decision in putting both brothers into positions of power, and Ultra had happily told him that he must have been insane when he thought of that. After three pointless arguments, seven not so pointless ones, a wrestling match in the senate meeting chambers and five fights in the streets, Optimus and Ultra threw in an intervention with the help of Strika. With some effort, they managed to lock the two in a storage room on Alpha Aupreme where they knew the two wouldn't dare to hit the walls. Megatron and Megazarak had wrestled for three hours, then threw insults left and right (one particularly nasty insult nearly had Ultra leaping in to give Megatron a piece of his mind) for an hour before finally starting to talk like normal siblings do after half an hour of tense silence.

Optimus had to leave sometime during that conversation, but when he came back to free them, he found Ultra had long since fallen asleep, as had the two Lords inside the storage room, propped up against each other. The Prime had taken a holopicture, covered them so they don't get cold and told Alpha to keep an optic on them before going to the captain's cabind and falling asleep himself.

The next morning, the two warframes were once again throwing rude comments at each other, only now it was noticably only in good fun. Both their mates culd finally relax and within a week of their new understanding, the Magnuses and the Lord High Protector were a force to be reconed with, deathly loyal to their Prime. A few more weeks after that, Ultra Magnus was put on inactive duty as he was carrying but Sentinel had been more than happy to take up his workload as well.

Speaking of Optimus's old and new friend, Sentinel had asked Blackarachnia to be his mate and although the femme had wanted to say yes, she refused. That night, she came crying to Optimus where she expressed her sorrow at not being able to make new bonds with her spark. It would seem that she had made another close friend when with the Cons but they couldn't become Amica Endura due to her spark now being bound by organic tissue as well. She grew to hate her new form even more when the mech died when he was lost on the radar when on a mission and a bond would have been able to detect him, but no one had been closer to him than Blackarachnia. He died from leaking energon and Blackarachnia never forgave herself.

Optimus then reassured her that he might be able to do something, but she had to trust him. His Amica Endura had looked at him as if he was both her savior and the stupidest person she had ever met and told him of course she trusted him. Optimus had then lead her to the Omega Lock and activated its power and told her to stand in front of the ray and not move. The process had been long and a little painful, but when it was finished, there stood a fully Cybertronian femme. Her armor was still black and she still had her beast form, but the four eyes were no longer her basic optics. Instead, she once again had her beautiful Autobot blue optics while it was only with the retracting helmet that they appeared, giving her night vision, heat vision and other organic-like senses. Her protoform was the same yellow her armor had been before the incident and the femme was now even more breathtaking than she had been. She could completely retract her spider limbs, now fully Cybertronian metal, into her subspace and have a normal vehicle mode if she so desired, but Elita was more than happy to remain as the ''Spider-lady'', only brighter.

Sentinel's, as well as everyone else's, jaw had hit the ground when Optimus ahd returned with Elita in his servos, now once again full Cybertronian and the femme had thrown herself into his arms. Elita explained everything and the blue, big-chinned bot immediately forgave her even as he mouthed many thanks to Optimus while they held each other. They then ended up going back for Wasp and he went through the same treatment. When the light had died down, he was perfectly normal, although he was still angry at Bumblebee. The two minibots then had a long, trying conversation and after that, the two decided to try again for a normal friendship. After Wasp completely recovered from the whole ordeal, he was allowed back into the Autobot Bootcamp, although it was now called the Cybertronian Bootcamp and he made great friends with some Decepticons and a fem Minicons and was perfectly happy. When Optimus saw that the Omega Lock can work so well, even on cases that weren't accidents, he spread the word, and one by one, all cyborg Quintessons came to Cybertron to become like their former Queen, Prince and current King. He made a lot of Quints happy, who then proceeded to help drag all resident of Kukuzor to Cybertron so that their coding will go back to normal.

Needless to say, peace spread rather quickly and everyone was very happy with Optimus's rule.

Old festivals dedicated to the Thirteen and Primus and Unicron were soon reinstated as well. That sure did get an uproar from everyone. The press was divided between calling Optimus a narcissist or being too sentimental. In truth, Optimus had only wanted to give the people a reason to celebrate and to reintroduce themselves with the beings that brought about their creation. As no one could go against him since Optimus had a way of convincing others, the celebrations were soon returned as official holidays planet-wide. One of the festivals involved the Mistress of Flame from Caminus and she was more than happy to return to Cybertron so she could meet the Last of the Primes. On Caminus, the people were very religious and the Thirteen Primes were considered gods while they called Primus and Unicron The Ends, as in the beginning and the end of all creation. When she and her favorite acolyte, Windblade, arrived, she and Optimus ahd a very long conversation regadring everything that had transpired on Caminus and as such, Optimus learned that pieces of Chela, the Titan of Onyx Prime, were still intact and made up parts of Caminus's main city. Needless to say, Optimus left Cybertron the very next day, using the Blades of Time to jump from Cybertron to Caminus. He returned later that night cycle, broken up inside with grief that there was nothing he could do for Chela. Megatron had held him for joors on end as Optimus mourned the cityformer. He visited Metroplex, who had decided to become part of the Northern part of Iacon, and they talked for the entire day and Optimus slept in one of Metroplex's rooms designed for Primes.

Windblade, after they found the Prime the next day, expressed her admiration that he can ''cityspeak'' so easily and they began a long discussion that Megatron had no hope of understanding. They became friends and Windblade became the new, official caretaker of Metroplex, meaning she had to stay on Cybertron. The Mistress of Flame wasn't impressed that he was taking her favorite acolyte but when she saw how happy Windblade was happy with the offer, she had relented and given her blessing, but in exchange, Optimus had to visit Caminus every other groon. The Prime had no problem with that, and that particular festival ended rather well.

And then Optimus's gestation term ended and he went into labor. They had been lucky that Optimus could still concentrate enough to transport them to Ratchet's clinic with the Blades of Time or else Megatron would have had to fly them there and there was no way that would have been good for either his bonded or his about to be born sparklings. The night seemed to drag on but First Aid reassured him that it was perfectly normal for these things to drag on, especially if it was the first time. By the time Haden had risen, twin chirps came from inside the room Ratchet had ushered Optimus into. Megatron had never thought Optimus more beautiful than when he saw his mate cradling their sparklings after Ratchet let him in.

As they had been born with completely white protoforms, Optimus had suggested they name them after light. It was also supposed to represent the new Age of Light and Prosperity that they had began and as the first new born sparklings in almost four million stellar cycles, they deserved to be named after the new age. And so Lux and Lucia were born and named and Megatron's life only became better.

Other sparklings were born soon after, as well as sparked. Cities were soon filled with happy chirps and whirs of sparklings growing up and then playing in the streets. The first to follow after Optimus and Megatron were Shockwave and Blurr with Shadow Racer, then it was Lockdown and Prowl and many others. When the twins were born, a planet-wide celebration had broken out. Another one occurred when Megazarak and Ultra got their own little bundle of joy, a cute mech by the name Thunderer. People had started talking about the new sparklings and the biggest question was if Optims's children will inherit his title as Prime. Megatron had wanted to know about that as well, but Optimus had explained that there will never again be a Prime like him, because he is to be the LAST one. Some were happy to hear that there will be no heir after Optimus's death (he had yet to tell anyone outside the group that had come to ''rescue'' him that he will not die Till All Are One, as his death would mean the destruction of the Allspark and the end of all Cybertronian life) while others were displeased with the lack of an heir.

The Jettwins had decided that they want to keep close to Optimus and so they had appointed themselves as his personal chassisguards, much to everyone's amusement. Jetfire and Jetstorm were now allowed to fly freely, just like the rest of the former Decepticons, and it really allowed them to grow. In three stellar cycles, they have grown to be the same tall as Optimus and while that might not be much by organic standards, Cybertronians aged a lot slower, and as thus grew slower as well. They were still the same, fun loving, mischievous but oh so loyal Jetfire and Jetstorm they had been that day Optimus had rescued them deep in Quintesson space. Arcee returned to her old job of being a sparkling teacher and many other bots did the same. Hot Rod became an officer so high up the chain he only took orders from the Magnuses, the Lord High Protector and the Prime himself. Ironhide became an instructor in the Academy for a stellar cycle, until he got stuck with Optimus on Archa Seven while the Prime was still recovering from giving birth to the twins. After he, as the only other survivor of that unlucky crash (read assassination attempt made by one of the unhappy Galactic Council members) did his best to keep Optius Prime safe for over three days, he got attached to the charismatic red and blue flamed bot and when they returned to Cybertron, he asked to be put as the Head of Optimus's personal guard. The Jettwins had no objections and although caught off guard, neither Prime nor Lord Protector declined. The cannon-toting mech then finally had the courage to ask Chromia to bond with him after months of courting and they were still waiting for the right time to go for a sparkling.

Starscream's clones became princes and princess of Vos and the seekers were a bit surprised when they learned that the Airlord had chosen a grounder for a mate and queen, but they had no objection to First Aid. Not to mention they loved their little Winglord. The clones mostly paired off with each other and other than Thundercracker and Skywarp, were still waiting for the right time to bet sparklings.

Hot Shot learned that he had the gift for cityspeaking and he soon became the second official handler of Metroplex, meaning he and his new family lived in the cityformer. He and Windblade became partners and that's how she met Wasp, who had come to visit with Ironhide who had wanted to check on his friends. She and Wasp were dating for three groons now, having started off as best friends.

Soundwave, who had become Megatron's official communications officer and TIC (Shockwave being the SIC) and had a place in the Government, met an interesting Polihexian, who appears to share a frametype with him. The red and orange mech was also a cassettedesk and the two got on like a house on fire, as he humans would say. They spontaneously got together and then all of their cassettes hooked up as well and then they all asked Megatron for a blessing, resulting in Optimus having a giggling fit and Megatron getting a vicious processor-ache. Jazz went on a few dates with Night Bird, but they seemed to have broken it off when the femme left Cybertron to do something. Jazz and Prowl maintained their close friendship and Jazz was working with both Shockwave and Yoketron, helping them out whenever the other didn't need him. A new dojo was built for Yoketron and more new students came to him all the time. In the middle of the second year of peace, Night Bird came back and the two started up their relationship again, only this time, no one left. It's unclear weather they are going to bond or not, but they seem happy enough now, as it is. Oil Slick got a laboratory for himself and he stopped making crazy chemicals that can kill mecha in seconds. He apologized to both Hot Rod and Ratchet, although the two of them didn't want to discuss why it was needed.

A lot of things changed and it took Megatron almost an hour to finish his tail. There were still things he had yet to mention, but they were not so important now. He had places to be and if he didn't get there in time for the big event, Optimus will have his aft _and_ helm delivered on a platter.

''So, where _is_ our glorious Prime?'' Knock Out asked after Megatron finished the story. ''I'm rather impressed that he has killed all that propaganda so easily. Not to mention the other things he has done. This peace is a miracle in of itself, too.''

Megatron smiled fondly. ''Optimus had made an alliance between our races possible in two decacycles, and this peace in three. Call me biased, but I would say that that is the biggest miracle one could make, forget the revival of cities and ships. As for where he is, Optimus went to speak with Primus about something today. I still don't know what that's about, but the sparks of his siblings are excited. Do you know that Primes are vicious little pranksters? Well, I didn't know until they all started floating around Optimus during one particularly difficult meeting where no one had wanted to sit still and listen. Scared the slag our of most of them. And all the time, I could feel their amusement while they were doing it!''

''Sounds scary enough.'' Breakdown conceded and started following Megatron when the Lord Protector moved to walk away in a certain direction that Tarn and Slipstream had just taken. ''Do you have any ideas what he might be up to?''

Red optics focused on his old friend and Megtatron smirked. ''I think I know my bonded enough to guess, but with Optimus, it is never certain.''

''Well?'' The red racer asked, clearly interested.

''I think he may have found a way to bring back his siblings, but needs to ask permission or something.''

''And if it is what I am trying to do, it is none of your business telling others about.'' A slightly angry, but familiar voice said behind them and Megatron froze as he recognized it as the voice that predicted nights spent alone on an uncomfortable couch instead in a warm berth beside his mate. He turned around, and there he was, Cybertron's Prime and the youngest of Primus's children, glaring at him with his beautiful, royal blue optics from where he had just landed.

''Optimus!''

Optimus scowled. "Don't you Optimus me!" He walked up to Megatron and jabbed a finger at his chest. "What do you think you were doing? If you just go around telling people what I'm planing to do, it won't be a surprise anymore!" The scowl deepened and the warframe took a tentative step backwards. "And I am not letting you ruin Artemis's sparday surprise."

This got the Lord Protector's attention. "So you think you could do it?"

Before Optimus could either answer or rip Megatron's helm off for even asking after all that he had just told him, Knock Out pushed his way in between the two and eagerly started fussing over Optimus's finish and rambling on and on about why he should polish more often. Breakdown rolled his optic heavenwards and Megatron tried not to laugh as his mate was left to deal with the wain racer all on his own.

"Listen, Knock Out... Slipstream is about to have her first sparkling and she will kill me if I don't show up soon. I promised to be there half an hour ago!"

"Fine." The red mech said with a sigh, before mock glaring and pointing a digit at Optimus. "But be warned. This is not the end!"

The Prime just raised an optic ridge before sprinting to Ratchet's hospital. When they got there, they could near Slipstream's screaming as she cursed Tarn to the Pits and back. If they were lesser mecha, they would not have dared enter. If Ratchet were a lesser mech and not as good a medic as he was, he would have refused to deliver her sparkling. If Tarn were not as crazy, he wouldn't have been laughing in the background. Knock Out and Breakdown flinched back as they saw the other Phase Sixers camped out in front of the operating room along with other grounders and fliers. Jetfire and Jetstorm were there, as well as Slipstream's brothers and First Aid. Blurr was waiting patiently with Shockwave and even Soundwave and Blaster were there. Artemis was helping with the procedure, as would have First Aid, but the femme was too tired after the slag the seekers in Vos put her through every day.

Overlord smirked when he saw Optimus and waved at the Prime. The surprising fact was that the two had become somewhat friends. Overlord was only mellow and friendly around the Prime, everywhere else, where there is no calming aura Optimus carries like a second layer of plating, he is sadistic and malicious. It had all started on the Peaceful Tyranny that day Optimus had fought Tarn and it had continued on for three stellar cycles. People were impressed, to say the least. Tarn had also warmed up to the Prime and had genuine respect for the red and blue mech. It helped that he adored the twins and was still as fiercely loyal to Megatron as he had been before. Not to mention that Slipstream had stated that she will leave him the first opportunity if he tried to create trouble for her trine leader.

Tarn actually smiled thankfully at them as he was finally kicked out of Ratchet's workstation of the hour. ''I am glad you have made it.'' He told them both before focusing on Optimus. ''She wants you in there. A trine thing.'' He said as he then turned to look at the Jettwins as well. The three nodded and Blurr pouted that he can't go in there as well.

The Prime looked over his shoulder at the sky blue racer. ''What do you think you're doing, Blurr?'' The mech looked confused and even Tarn turned to look at Optimus as if he had lost his mind. ''If only Alpha was small enough to go in with us, I'm sure she would want him there as well. Why are you making our friend wait?''

Blurr grinned and pecked Shockwave quickly before sprinting in after the trine. The operation lasted three jorrs but as soon as they heard the clicking of newborn sparklings, the waiting room erupted with cheers. The rest of the group who had left Cybertron to search for Optimus had arrived, including their mates and friends, so the waiting room was packed. Arcee had served them all some energon a few breems ago and now she was serving them high grade. Optimus came out beaming at Tarn, a small bundle in his servos, wrapped up in the softest mesh credits can afford to keep the sparkling warm. He made his way to the proud sire and carefully presented him with his creation. The former DJD leader and strongest Phase Sixer positively melted at the sight of his little daughter and already Optimus knew he was going to spoil her rotten if Slipstream doesn't do something. Jetfire and Jetstorm were at his right shoulder while Blurr was peaking at the little one from his left servo.

''Slipstream named her, but it's still not final. She wanted your input.'' He told him gently as the big servos tenderly took his sparkling. In side the room, Ratchet was giving the proud carrier some medical grade energon, much to Slipstream's disgust while Artemis helped cool down her systems.

''What is it?'' The sire asked as he cooed at his little daughter. Ratchet had determined her to be a full fledged seeker, and hadn't Slipstream just been so proud and smug that her CNA had turned out stronger than her mate's. Not that Tarn seemed to have a problem with that, no. He actually seemed quite delighted! Then again, he had fallen for Slipstream due to her strong personality and sarcastic wit. He had probably hoped it would be like this.

Optimus looked down at the surprisingly colorful sparkling and couldn't help but grin at the scarlet helm and wings with a yellow line on the wings, looking at the light gray protoform and the dark blue chassis. He had no idea where the colors came from but it fit the femmeling and her name will be perfect for her. ''Slipstream thought of naming her Skyfire.'' Said femme's brothers gasped and every former Decepticon turned to look towards Starscream. First Aid was there, holding a servo on his upper arm and everyone was expecting him to be sad, angry, murderous or all of the above, but instead, Starscream was... crying. He was crying tears of joy as he came closer to the little femme.

''I think it suits her... Little Skyfire.''

Tarn grinned at his brother by bond and the Airlord returned it just as they heard Slipstream demanding to see her sparkling, her bondmate, her brothers and the rest of them in her room. Artemis came out with a big but tired grin and told everyone that they can finally come in now. Everyone was quick to scurry in under the watchful optics of Ratchet and Tarn happily gave his daughter to her carrier as Starscream thanked her for the honor she had represented his fallen mate with. Sari and the other femmes started cooing at the little new addition to their ever growing _family_ while Elita One (who only went as Blackarachnia when on missions for Cybertron Intelligence) gave her a one-armed hug and congratulated her on such a cute sparkling.

Optimus stood back as even their two new visitors came and congratulated Slipstream on becoming a creator and Megatron was the only one to notice, everyone else so engrossed with the new little family. He saw the look of happiness and contentment on those light blue faceplates and wondered what Optimus was thinking about. Perhaps he was counting all the ways it had been worth it? All the sacrifices, the loss, the pain. Perhaps he was thinking up new ways to ensure this happiness continues, ways of making the peace even more stable? Or maybe he was just imagining how it could have all gone to Pit oh so easily and thanking his own Creators that it hadn't.

The Lord High Protector came up behind his Prime and completely naturally wrapped his servos around his mate. He felt Optimus lean into him with the same natural feeling to it and he couldn't help but sigh in contentment as he held this most important person close to him. ''We did good.''

Optimus looked up at him and beamed at his comment. ''I can't say that I disagree. I only wish I could have come sooner, ended the wars quicker...''

''The past is in the past.'' Was all he said as he watched little Skyfire opening her optics for the first time to look at the world and everyone cooed at her big optics. He saw that Tarn was almost unable to contain his happiness and he couldn't blame him. When his own sparklings had first looked at him it had been one of the greatest days in his life. ''And you never know. It could have ended a lot worse if you had come sooner.''

''True...'' Was his mate's distracted answer and Megatron wondered just what the Triptych Mask shows him when he occasionally puts it on, what worlds Optimus can see. Sometimes, he woke up screaming in the night after putting it on, other times, he didn't want to be awoken. ''But I'm glad it happened like this. That this was the result.'' He snuggled closer to Megatron's chest and the Lord Protector felt himself falling in love with this mech all over again.

''Me too. Although, I could have done without the secrecy and the constant worry.'' And now Optimus was blushing and smiling sheepishly at him. This caused Megatron to lift a curious optic ridge at his mate and wondered what it was tis time. ''Is there something you want to tell me, Optimus?''

The Prime seemed to be fighting with himself, absently chewing on his lover lip plate and unknowingly making Megatron want to ravish him right there and then. ''I had wanted to tell you when we get home or tomorrow, so we don't steal their spotlight,'' He said, gesturing at the new family and now Megatron was even more intrigued. ''But I guess now is as good a time as any.''

Megatron just waited for his lover to get on with it and Optimus smiled at the nervousness/annoyance he felt over the bond at having to wait. ''Yes?''

''I'm carrying again. I think it might me triplets this time.''

Megatron stared at him for all of five kliks before scooping him up and off of his pedes, which resulted in one very un-Prime like squeak before he was being kissed as if his life depended on it. He happily returned it and moaned, wrapping his servos around his bonded and letting Megatron take the lead, as he always did. They ignored the catcalls and wolf-whistles coming from the group in the room, all too focused on each other and the fact that they will become creators again. They just enjoyed that one moment and kissed, not caring if the world was ending around them.

Beneath the surface they walked on and way up high, above their helms, two gigantic Sparks pulsed in time with Optimus's own, as well as other twelve ancient sparks. In the Well of Allsparks, the Allspark glowed even brighter with it's mech's happiness. Vector Sigma shook Kaon overhead and the Omega Lock released a wave of energy all over Cybertron.

The next day, the inhabitants of Cybertron and all of its colonies celebrated yet another creation of their leaders.

The Era of Primes had been thought of as dead for many millenniums, but there is no death when it comes to this magnificent race of sentient, transforming robots. There is never an end, but there will always be a new beginning. _Simply put... another transformation._ That is what Optimus fought for. It is a war as old as time itself, the war for freedom... Freedom of speech, rights, equality, thought... Freedom of choice and will. Freedom to live in peace and prosperity. Optimus fought for so long, so very long, so he can give his race the freedom to chose one's own path, to find their own destiny.

After all, he had been destined to become the Allspark and be the Last Prime in existence...

He defeated destiny in one of those...

It was time to see if he can beat the other.

 **The End**

 **A/N: Hello there! There you have it, the last chapter. I hope that you have liked this story and I want to thank all those who have read it, reviewed and helped in their own small way make this story better. I know there have been mistakes, and a lot of them, but most of you seemed happy and that makes me happy. So, this is the end of my first Transformers Animated story and as I have already mentioned, another one will be up soon. For those who are interested, I hope to hear from you again. If there are any questions, don't hesitate to ask me by either PM-ing me or in reviews.**

 **I hope you have a nice day and wish you guys all the best, because you have been wonderful.**

 **Good bye for now!**

 **r &r**


End file.
